Purrmann’s world in the light of photography: Matisse, Liebermann, Rilke & Co.

Museum Purrmann House, Speyer
October 12, 2024- April 27, 2025

The magic of photography lies in its unique ability to capture fleeting moments for eternity. With a single click, the ephemeral becomes immortal, the invisible visible and the everyday extraordinary. The exhibition “Purrmann’s World in the Light of Photography: Matisse, Liebermann, Rilke & Co.” is dedicated to the personalities from the illustrious artistic, social and family network of Hans Purrmann and Mathilde Vollmoeller-Purrmann. Many of these personalities, such as Henri Matisse, Max Liebermann, Rainer Maria Rilke, Leo von König, Lovis Corinth, Karl Vollmoeller, Hermann Hesse, Josephine Baker, Erich Kästner and Tilla Durieux, were among the favorite subjects of leading photojournalists of their time. The 100 or so photographs in the Speyer exhibition bring their stories to life and tell of the personal connections to Hans and Mathilde Purrmann. A kaleidoscope of the avant-garde opens up between Munich, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Florence, Langenargen and Montagnola.

The exhibition is being realized in collaboration with the Ullstein photographic collection at ullstein bild in Berlin and the Hans Purrmann Archives in Munich.

The exhibition is sponsored by the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry for Family Affairs, Women, Culture and Integration.

You can find the flyer for the exhibition here.

Museum Purrmann-Haus
Kleine Greifengasse 14
67346 Speyer