Bahnhof Tiergarten (Court with Trees)

Art Historical Context

Lovis Corinth, a pivotal figure in German Expressionism and Impressionism, created *Bahnhof Tierg (Court with Trees)* 1920/1921, toward the end of his prolific career. This drypoint captures an urban glimpse of Berlin's Tiergarten, near the historic train station, blending the rigidity of city infrastructure with the organic flow of trees in a courtyard. By this time, Corinth—having survived a stroke in 1911—was embracing a freer, more intuitive style, evident in his late prints that evoke the bustling energy of Weimar-era Germany amid post-World War I recovery. The artwork's medium, drypoint in black on a modest plate (23 × 30.5 cm), highlights the technique's intimate power. Scratched directly into the copper plate, drypoint produces velvety, burr-rich lines that convey texture and atmosphere with spontaneous expressiveness—ideal for Corinth's bold, emotive mark-making. Unlike etched lines, these offer a painterly immediacy, making each impression unique due to the plate's wear. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection, this print exemplifies Corinth's mastery of printmaking as a democratic art form, bridging his vibrant paintings with accessible multiples. It invites visitors to ponder the interplay of nature and modernity in early 20th-century Europe.

About the Artist

Lovis Corinth · 1858–1925

Lovis Corinth, born Franz Heinrich Louis on July 21, 1858, in Tapiau, East Prussia (now Gvardeysk, Russia), to a tanner father, displayed prodigious drawing talent from childhood. He began formal training at the Königsberg Academy in 1876, then moved to the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich from 1880 to 1884, studying under Ludwig von Löfftz and briefly Franz von Defregger, where he absorbed a Realis...