Hermann Max Pechstein (1881-1955)

Bold Expressionist Visionary, Founding Member of Die Brücke, and Champion of Color and Form

At Bailly Gallery, we honor artists who dared to redefine art through emotion, color, and innovation. Max Pechstein stands as a commanding figure in German Expressionism—a painter and printmaker whose vibrant palette and dynamic forms powerfully conveyed the spirit of early 20th-century avant-garde art.

Born in Zwickau, Germany in 1881, Pechstein trained at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts, where he was deeply influenced by Post-Impressionism and the raw energy of folk art. His artistic journey reached a crucial turning point when he became a founding member of Die Brücke in 1905, the groundbreaking Expressionist group committed to breaking away from academic tradition and exploring new modes of emotional and psychological expression.

Pechstein’s work is characterized by bold, often rough brushstrokes, intense color contrasts, and a directness that captures both human vulnerability and natural vitality. Whether portraying landscapes, urban scenes, or figures, his compositions evoke a powerful sense of immediacy and spiritual intensity. His travels to the South Seas and North Africa infused his palette with exotic vibrancy and broadened his artistic vocabulary.

A prolific printmaker as well, Pechstein excelled in woodcuts and lithographs, mediums through which he explored dramatic contrasts and raw textures—further advancing Expressionism’s goal of emotional impact over realistic representation.
Despite facing persecution under the Nazi regime, which labeled his work as "degenerate art," Pechstein’s legacy endured. Today, his paintings and prints are held in prestigious collections such as the Städel Museum, Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

At Bailly Gallery, we proudly present Max Pechstein as a vital voice of Expressionism—an artist who harnessed color, form, and passion to reveal the depths of the human experience and the beauty of the natural world. His work remains a compelling testament to courage, innovation, and artistic freedom.