Exhibition Examines Lovis Corinth's Art and Nazi-Era Persecution at Alte Nationalgalerie

The Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin is presenting an exhibition titled 'Im Visier! Lovis Corinth, die Nationalgalerie und die Aktion "Entartete Kunst"' until November 2, 2025. The show focuses on the German Impressionist painter Lovis Corinth (1858-1925) and his wife, artist Charlotte Berend-Corinth (1880-1967), exploring their reception during the Nazi regime. Curated by Dieter Scholz, Andreas Schalhorn, and Sven Haase, the exhibition displays the Nationalgalerie's complete holdings of Corinth's works alongside pieces by Berend-Corinth, supplemented by works on paper from the Kupferstichkabinett. A central theme is provenance research, detailing how artworks were acquired, confiscated as 'degenerate art,' or returned. The exhibition highlights the arbitrary nature of Nazi art policies, noting that while Corinth was a celebrated German artist, many of his later expressive works were deemed 'degenerate.' It also examines inconsistencies, such as works by Berend-Corinth that avoided confiscation despite meeting criteria for persecution. The display is organized into five thematic sections covering different historical phases, from pre-war collections to post-war acquisitions in East and West Germany.