Portrait of Franz Adickes, mayor of Frankfurt, 1910

Dimensions: 112 x 90 cm

Physical Description: Oil on canvas

Inventory Number: SG 173

Acquisition: Acquired in 1911

Status: Not on display

Texts

About the Work

At the beginning of 1910, Georg Swarzenski, the Städel’s director at the time, suggested to Max Liebermann that he should paint a portrait of the then Mayor of Frankfurt, Franz Adickes (1846‒1915), who was a committed supporter of the arts and sciences. He was, for instance, significantly involved in the foundation of the Städtische Galerie, which was affiliated with the Städelsches Kunstinstitut in 1906 and was focused primarily on contemporary art. Originally, Swarzenski had intended to purchase two other works by the Berlin artist. However, his plan failed, on account of the Städtische Sammlung Purchasing Committee preferring “tamer” works. The portrait painted in Liebermann’s studio arrived in Frankfurt at the end of 1910, but it was brought back to Berlin for an exhibition at the beginning of 1911. It was probably then that Liebermann added the date “1911”.

Work Data

Basic Information

Title: Portrait of Franz Adickes, mayor of Frankfurt

Painter

Max Liebermann

Period Produced

20th century

Object Type

painting (artwork)

Physical Description: Oil on canvas

Material

canvas

Technique

Label at the Time of Manufacture: Signiert und datiert oben rechts (in Blau): M Liebermann 1911.

Work Catalogues

Eberle 1911/2

Property and Acquisition

Institution

Städel Museum

Departement

Modern Art 1800–1945

Collection

Städtische Galerie

Creditline: Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main

Picture Copyright: Public Domain

Acquisition: Acquired in 1911

Work Content

Motifs and References

Genre

portrait

Main Motif

Persons Shown

Franz Adickes

Iconclass

Primary

61B2(ADICKES, Franz)11(+54) historical person (ADICKES, Franz) - historical person (ADICKES, Franz) portrayed alone (+ three-quarter length portrait)
31D14(+4) adult man (+ three-quarter view)
31A235 sitting figure

Secondary

31A534 beard
41D213(SUIT) ensembles of pieces of clothing (SUIT)
41D223(WAISTCOAT) clothing for the upper part of the body (WAISTCOAT)
41D223(SHIRT) clothing for the upper part of the body (SHIRT)
41D222(COLLAR) neck-gear: collar
41D231 trousers, breeches

Research and Discussion

Provenance

Object History: In Auftrag gegeben auf Initiative von Direktor Georg Swarzenski und verkauft durch die Galerie Paul Cassirer, Berlin, an die Stadt Frankfurt am Main, 1910.

Information

Since 2001, the Städel Museum has systematically been researching the provenance of all objects that were acquired during the National Socialist period, or that changed owners or could have changed owners during those years. The basis for this research is the “Washington Declaration”, also known as the “Washington Conference Principles”, formulated at the 1998 “Conference on Holocaust-Era Assets” and the subsequent “Joint Declaration”.

The provenance information is based on the sources researched at the time they were published digitally. However, this information can change at any time when new sources are discovered. Provenance research is therefore a continuous process and one that is updated at regular intervals.

Ideally, the provenance information documents an object’s origins from the time it was created until the date when it found its way into the collection. It contains the following details, provided they are known: