Max Ackermann(I)
- Actor
The Ackermann family came from Thuringia, where the father was a teacher at the Nuremberg School of Applied Arts. In 1891, his parents moved back to their homeland of Thuringia and Max Ackermann grew up in Illmenau. His father owned a workshop for frames and furniture, where Ackermann was able to express himself early on with drawings and carvings. He also attended elementary school in Illmenau. He then completed training as a porcelain modeller at the Illmenau porcelain factory. Ackermann's father died in February 1905. Around the same time, the artist also began to model "free" works, with which he took part in various exhibitions. In April 1906, Ackermann first drew attention to his talent at a trade association exhibition in Illmenau. He found a supporter in the teacher Güntzel, who gave him further training in Weimar. There he was, among other things, a student of van de Velde.
As a result of good evaluations, Ackermann was granted exemption from the arts and crafts seminar in Weimar, which he entered in October 1906. There he worked with van de Velde and Hans Olde and attended the nude courses taught by Ludwig von Hofmann and Sascha Schneider at the Weimar Art Academy. In 1907 the artist returned to Illmenau, where he set up a small studio for stone sculpture. In October, Ackermann applied for a scholarship at the Dresden Art Academy, which was granted for two years. In 1908 lessons took place with Richard Müller. At this time, his role models included the works of Max Klinger. In 1909 he spent a short time at the Munich Academy with Franz von Stuck. Here he found artistic engagement with Hans von Marées and Eugen Chevreul's color theories. In 1911 Ackermann moved to Stuttgart, where two of his brothers also lived. Ackermann made his first abstract drawings in Stuttgart.
In 1912, Ackermann completed his studies at the Stuttgart Art Academy. He now began to work independently without contact with other artist groups. In 1915 Ackermann was drafted for military service in the First World War. After being wounded and spending a long time in the hospital, he was released from military service in 1917 as unfit for service. After his return, his work was influenced by the migratory bird movement until the 1920s. In 1919 Alfred Hölzel left the Stuttgart Academy, whereupon Ackermann joined him more closely. In Stuttgart he had several opportunities to become acquainted with modern French and Italian art. In 1920 he took part in an exhibition for the first time as a guest of the Üecht Group. In 1924 Ackermann had his first solo exhibition, in which he showed representational and abstract works. In the same year his mother died in Ilmenau.
In 1926 he traveled to Paris for a week, where he met the Viennese architects Alfred Loos and Hans-Bert Baur. At this time the Stuttgart milieu studies were shown in Paris. In 1930 he was appointed by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Pfleiderer was called to give courses in his seminar for absolute painting. In 1932 he met his future wife, Gertrud Ostermayer. From this point on he commuted back and forth between Lake Constance and Stuttgart until the 1950s. In 1936 the National Socialists forbade him to teach at the Stuttgart adult education center. On June 20, 1936 he married Gertrud Ostermayer. Ackermann's pictures were also classified as "degenerate" by the National Socialists and confiscated from the State Gallery in Stuttgart. Ackermann retreated to Hornstaad on Lake Constance - a place that became a painter's colony. Helmuth Macke, Otto Dix and Erich Heckel also settled here.
From 1938 onwards, Ackermann was intensively involved in the development of his abstract works. In 1943 his studio in Stuttgart was destroyed by an air raid; Many, mainly early, works were burned. Together with his wife, Ackermann founded an art education institute on Lake Constance in 1952. In 1956, the Baden-Württemberg Artists' Association appointed Ackermann to the "Council of Ten" as the successor to the late Willi Baumeister. In 1957, on his 70th birthday, Ackermann was given the honorary title of professor by the Ministry of Culture in Stuttgart. In 1958 her marriage to Gertrud Ostermayer ended in divorce. While Ackermann was in Beatenberg for treatment, he contacted Horst Kaiser at the Karlsruhe Apfelbaum Gallery, who from then on represented him. In 1964 he became a guest of honor at the Villa Massimo in Rome. In 1967, the first major retrospective "Paintings from 1908 to 1967" opened in Koblenz, Kaiserslautern, Konstanz, Wolfsburg and Cologne.
On his 85th birthday in 1972, Ackermann was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit First Class. From 1973 he sought refuge in the Paracelsius Hospital in the Black Forest, but was able to continue his work. In 1974, the 87-year-old married Johanna Strathomeyer.
Max Ackermann died on November 14, 1975 in Unterlengenhardt in the Black Forest.
As a result of good evaluations, Ackermann was granted exemption from the arts and crafts seminar in Weimar, which he entered in October 1906. There he worked with van de Velde and Hans Olde and attended the nude courses taught by Ludwig von Hofmann and Sascha Schneider at the Weimar Art Academy. In 1907 the artist returned to Illmenau, where he set up a small studio for stone sculpture. In October, Ackermann applied for a scholarship at the Dresden Art Academy, which was granted for two years. In 1908 lessons took place with Richard Müller. At this time, his role models included the works of Max Klinger. In 1909 he spent a short time at the Munich Academy with Franz von Stuck. Here he found artistic engagement with Hans von Marées and Eugen Chevreul's color theories. In 1911 Ackermann moved to Stuttgart, where two of his brothers also lived. Ackermann made his first abstract drawings in Stuttgart.
In 1912, Ackermann completed his studies at the Stuttgart Art Academy. He now began to work independently without contact with other artist groups. In 1915 Ackermann was drafted for military service in the First World War. After being wounded and spending a long time in the hospital, he was released from military service in 1917 as unfit for service. After his return, his work was influenced by the migratory bird movement until the 1920s. In 1919 Alfred Hölzel left the Stuttgart Academy, whereupon Ackermann joined him more closely. In Stuttgart he had several opportunities to become acquainted with modern French and Italian art. In 1920 he took part in an exhibition for the first time as a guest of the Üecht Group. In 1924 Ackermann had his first solo exhibition, in which he showed representational and abstract works. In the same year his mother died in Ilmenau.
In 1926 he traveled to Paris for a week, where he met the Viennese architects Alfred Loos and Hans-Bert Baur. At this time the Stuttgart milieu studies were shown in Paris. In 1930 he was appointed by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Pfleiderer was called to give courses in his seminar for absolute painting. In 1932 he met his future wife, Gertrud Ostermayer. From this point on he commuted back and forth between Lake Constance and Stuttgart until the 1950s. In 1936 the National Socialists forbade him to teach at the Stuttgart adult education center. On June 20, 1936 he married Gertrud Ostermayer. Ackermann's pictures were also classified as "degenerate" by the National Socialists and confiscated from the State Gallery in Stuttgart. Ackermann retreated to Hornstaad on Lake Constance - a place that became a painter's colony. Helmuth Macke, Otto Dix and Erich Heckel also settled here.
From 1938 onwards, Ackermann was intensively involved in the development of his abstract works. In 1943 his studio in Stuttgart was destroyed by an air raid; Many, mainly early, works were burned. Together with his wife, Ackermann founded an art education institute on Lake Constance in 1952. In 1956, the Baden-Württemberg Artists' Association appointed Ackermann to the "Council of Ten" as the successor to the late Willi Baumeister. In 1957, on his 70th birthday, Ackermann was given the honorary title of professor by the Ministry of Culture in Stuttgart. In 1958 her marriage to Gertrud Ostermayer ended in divorce. While Ackermann was in Beatenberg for treatment, he contacted Horst Kaiser at the Karlsruhe Apfelbaum Gallery, who from then on represented him. In 1964 he became a guest of honor at the Villa Massimo in Rome. In 1967, the first major retrospective "Paintings from 1908 to 1967" opened in Koblenz, Kaiserslautern, Konstanz, Wolfsburg and Cologne.
On his 85th birthday in 1972, Ackermann was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit First Class. From 1973 he sought refuge in the Paracelsius Hospital in the Black Forest, but was able to continue his work. In 1974, the 87-year-old married Johanna Strathomeyer.
Max Ackermann died on November 14, 1975 in Unterlengenhardt in the Black Forest.