Uhlenhorster Fährhaus © Max Liebermann 1910
Max Liebermann
14 works
Key Takeaways
Max Liebermann's prints maintain steady market performance, with individual works typically fetching between £2,000 and £5,000. His waterfront scenes and garden views are particularly sought after, with Landschaft Am Wannsee Mit Segelbooten (1926) achieving a record £7,691. Authentication requires thorough examination of paper quality, printing technique, and provenance, with reference to Schiefler's catalogue raisonné. Print editions vary from 20 to 100, with artist's proofs marked "Probedruck" particularly valued. The German market remains strongest, with notable price increases following events such as the 2020 Bastian Gallery retrospective in Berlin.
Max Liebermann brought Impressionism to Germany, creating artwork that bridged French and German artistic traditions at the turn of the 20th century. His prints capture everyday scenes of Dutch peasant life, bustling beer gardens, and peaceful moments in his own garden, translating his masterful handling of light and shadow into the monochromatic medium of etching. This guide aims to support sellers navigating the market for Liebermann's prints, offering detailed insights into valuation, authentication, and effective selling strategies.
Throughout his career, Liebermann demonstrated exceptional skill in printmaking, particularly with etchings. Working primarily between 1890 and 1930, Liebermann produced prints that documented both rural and urban life, from farmers at work to sophisticated cafe society, always maintaining the spontaneous, sketch-like quality that characterised his style. His prints, like his paintings, capture atmosphere, movement, and a sense of nostalgia that the viewer is invited to share.
How Much Do Max Liebermann Prints Sell For?
As a pioneer of German Impressionism and an artist with a captivating history of controversy and tragedy, Liebermann is continually popular among collectors. The market for his prints has remained consistently strong, with a gradual increase in value over the past few decades. Individual Liebermann prints typically achieve between £2,000 and £5,000, with significant pieces fetching higher prices.
Most popular among his prints are Liebermann’s depictions of waterfront or rural scenes. Locations such as Uhlenhorst in Hamburg and views from his villa on Berlin’s Wannsee lake are particularly popular. Landschaft Am Wannsee Mit Segelbooten (1926), for example, depicting a tranquil view of some boats on the lake through the trees, sold for £7,691 in 2021, setting the record for a Liebermann print at auction. Uhlenhorster Fährhaus (1910), a depiction of boats on the water of the Außenalster, sold for £6,802 in 2011. Prints from his series of garden views, such as Haus Am Wannsee (1926), are sought after for their personal connection to the artist’s day-to-day life.
Over his career, Liebermann occasionally produced portfolios of prints to accompany the work of reputable writers. One recent sale, in 2021, proves the enduring value of these story-telling images. A collection of 36 woodcut prints designed to accompany Goethe’s The Man of Fifty Years sold for £4,446 in Berlin. Portfolios featuring the accompanying text of art critics and historians rarely appear for sale; however, when they do, this added context also adds value. In May 2024, a collection of 14 etchings accompanied by commentary from Richard Graul sold in Hamburg for £6,377.
Other popular themes in Liebermann’s work include side profiles of women reading or sewing, and depictions of people at the beach, sometimes swimming. His Lesendes Mädchen (1896), for example, was printed in a series of different versions, some colour and some black-and-white; the print, popular because of the softness, intimacy, and affection it captures, has appeared multiple times at auction in the past 20 years, regularly exceeding its estimate.
How Do You Authenticate a Max Liebermann Print?
Authentication of a Liebermann print begins with careful examination of its provenance. Documentation of ownership history, including gallery receipts, exhibition catalogues, and correspondence, provides crucial evidence of authenticity, giving buyers peace of mind as well as bolstering the estimated value. The artist's connection to prominent German galleries, particularly Paul Cassirer in Berlin, means that early gallery stamps can strongly support any later documentation.
Examining the materials used in the printmaking process can help to align your print with Liebermann’s known practices. For example, the artist worked primarily with traditional etching techniques, often combining drypoint for atmospheric effects. Paper quality and type should correspond to those available in Germany during Liebermann's lifetime, with many of his prints produced on high-quality wove paper from German manufacturers. Some prints, however, are printed on handmade Japanese papers.
The definitive catalogue raisonné of Liebermann's prints, compiled by Gustav Schiefler and published in 1907, with a supplement in 1923, remains the primary reference for authentication. This catalogue documents variations between states and editions, helping to verify the authenticity of individual impressions. Prints created after this time can be verified against resources such as gallery catalogues or the records of the Max Liebermann Society.
Edition & Signature
Liebermann typically signed his prints “MLiebermann,” in pencil in the lower right margin, using a distinctive flowing script. His signature maintained remarkable consistency throughout his career, though it became slightly less fluid in his later years. Edition numbers, when present, appear in the lower left margin, though many early prints were not formally numbered.
Print editions varied considerably in size, with some limited to just 20 impressions while others reached 100 or more. Artist's proofs, marked "Probedruck" or simply "Probe," are particularly valued. Liebermann often made subtle adjustments between proofs, creating variations that appeal to serious collectors; in rarer cases, such as with Lesendes Mädchen (1896), the differences within editions can be significant, making the process of authentication more challenging.
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Has Your Max Liebermann Print Been Kept in Good Condition?
Condition assessment of Liebermann prints requires particular attention to the delicate etching lines and tonal variations that characterise his work. The artist favoured fine wove papers, often from German manufacturers like Zanders, which, while generally stable, can be susceptible to foxing and acid burn over time.
The rich blacks and subtle greys of Liebermann's etchings are particularly vulnerable to fading through light exposure. His innovative use of drypoint to create atmospheric effects results in especially delicate burr marks that can be easily worn down through improper handling or storage. The presence of these original burr marks significantly enhances both the visual impact and value of his prints.
Paper discolouration, particularly around the edges, can severely impact value. Many Liebermann prints have historically been mounted using adhesives that have caused browning over time. Professional conservation may be necessary to address these issues while maintaining the print's integrity.
Proper storage requires acid-free materials and protection from light and humidity fluctuations. Prints should be stored flat to prevent undulation of the paper, which can disturb the careful balance of light and shadow in Liebermann's compositions.
For advice on how to get started with condition assessment of your Max Liebermann print, contact MyArtBroker.
When is the Best Time to Sell My Max Liebermann Print?
A well-timed sale of your Liebermann print can make a vast difference in its final value. You should consider both the cyclical nature of the art market and the schedule of cultural events relating to Liebermann and German Impressionism. Recent years have seen renewed interest in German Impressionism, with several major exhibitions sparking increased collector attention.
Major exhibitions and retrospectives are key drivers of print value. The 2024 exhibition, Max Liebermann – An Impressionist from Berlin, at Casa di Goethe in Rome was the first retrospective of the artist’s work in Italy, opening up Liebermann’s work to a potentially new audience. Anniversary years can also create opportune selling moments. The 25th anniversary of the Max Liebermann Society in 2020 prompted a comprehensive exhibition at the Bastian Gallery in Berlin, one of Liebermann’s key markets. It was following this exhibition that the record price for a Liebermann print was achieved at a Berlin auction.
MyArtBroker offers advanced art tech tools to help you determine the optimal time to sell. Our MyPortfolio service features an AI-powered value indicator that provides real-time valuations of individual prints based on both public and private sales data. Combined with our complimentary valuations, we can help ensure your print achieves maximum value by selling at the perfect moment.
Ways to Sell with MyArtBroker
At MyArtBroker, our specialists provide a free market valuation for your artwork, offering a level of transparency unmatched in today’s market. In addition to our valuations, through our online Trading Floor, you can access real-time insights into works by the artist you’re looking to sell, including pieces that are most in demand, wanted, or currently for sale: allowing sellers to trust the valuation that they are provided.
Additionally, the MyPortfolio collection management service grants you free access to our comprehensive print market database. This resource allows you to review auction histories for the specific work you’re looking to sell, including hammer prices, values paid, and seller returns. In a fluctuating market, this historical data is invaluable - and often comes at a cost elsewhere - offering insights into past and current values to further inform decisions based on market timing and conditions. In addition to our specialists guidance, you have concrete data.
Our approach is tailored to align with the unique attributes of each artwork, and offer optimal results:
How a Private Sale Works
Unlike peer-to-peer platforms, which lack specialised expertise, authenticity guarantees, and legal infrastructure for high-value sales, MyArtBroker operates through private sales ensuring a secure and seamless transaction process. We charge sellers 0% to sell, and take a small commission from our buyers, absorbing essential aspects including insurance, shipping, and marketing - at no extra cost to the seller. There is no magic to it, we’re a lean specialised business with less overheads than traditional models meaning we can do better for our clients.
Our revenue is derived from buyer commissions only, which are individually negotiated upon offer, and we aim to give the client the best return in the market place. By focusing on high-value artworks in excess of £10,000, we provide specialised care and expertise, ensuring each piece receives the attention it deserves, while simultaneously maximising returns with our clients. For works that fall below this threshold speak to the team about a recommendation, we offer market advisory free of charge. Our goal at MyArtBroker is to offer a seamless solution, setting us apart in the art market.
Advisory and Recommendations
In cases for artists and artworks, where our existing network of collectors isn’t the best fit due to value, medium or condition we collaborate with reputable partners to facilitate its sale. Carefully tailoring your artwork to the right party. This tailored approach is especially important as it considers the unique attributes of each artwork, providing sellers with the best possible outcome in today’s shifting art market. You can discuss this approach with us without charge as part of our advisory service.
Such recommendations are on a case-by-case basis, and ensures broader exposure and takes advantage of our knowledge of where a work will do best.
Max Liebermann Collection Management with MyPortfolio
In addition to our live trading floor, MyArtBroker's MyPortfolio serves as a collection management system, empowering collectors to curate and oversee their prints and editions collection. This feature grants users access to our print market database, uniquely tied to our proprietary algorithm, SingularityX. This algorithm scans and analyses both public auction and private sales data to determine real time valuations of individual print works, factoring in various aspects such as condition, colour, and other factors affecting value.
Read What Powers MyArtBroker's Technology? In Conversation With Stuart Jamieson, Financial Quant to learn more about our algorithm.
