Thea & Fritz Goldschmidt, Breslau
Thence by descent to the present owner

Matthias Eberle, Max Liebermann 1847-1935, Werkverzeichnis der Gemälde und Ölstudien, 1900-1935, Munich, 1996, vol. II, no. 1920/21, illustrated p. 1014

The panel is sound. There are several very thin lines of craquelure running vertically down the work, following the grain of the panel. There are some small spots of retouching at intervals to these cracks, concentrated mainly in the lower left quadrant. All retouching is visible under UV light. This work is in good condition. Colours: Fairly accurate although the colours are more subtle in the original.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Der Nutzgarten in Wannsee nach Westen is a beautiful example of Max Liebermann's depiction of his garden at the Wannsee in Berlin. The Wannsee villa became Liebermann's beloved summer residence for the last decades of his life and the paintings from this period show his garden in all its glory.  The villa was modelled on country houses the artist saw in Hamburg and when it was completed, Liebermann even referred to his villa and garden as his Klein-Versaille.  The artist took great pride in it and paid🎀 special attention to the design and layout of his garden.  In collaboration with his friend, Alfred Lichtwark (director of the Kunsthalle in Hamburg at the time), Liebermann designed his garden following the most avant-garde contemporary garden design concepts and created a haven of colours and floral splendour.  The combination of flower beds, a rose garden and a vegetable garden was a most advanced concept at the time.

Liebermann was strongly inspired by the French Impressionists and was one of the pioneering collectors of Impressionist art in Germany.  Like Monet, who never tired of painting his flower garden at Giverny, Liebermann found a constant source of inspiration in his rich Wannsee garden. In the present work, the painter vividly captures the intense colours of the flower bed through the use of a thick♎ impasto made up of strong reds, greens, yel🐽lows and whites which are a testimony to Liebermann's admiration of painters such as Manet, Monet and Van Gogh.