151 - Leo PUTZ (1869–1940)

Leo PUTZ (1869–1940) Couple in a Rural Landscape Oil on canvas, signed lower right H. 46 cm - W. 38 cm Note: Leo Putz (1869–1940) was a leading Tyrolean painter whose work represents an original synthesis of Jugendstil (Art Nouveau), Impressionism, and emerging Expressionism. Trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich and later at the Académie Julian in Paris, he made a name for himself within the Munich Secession and co-founded the artists’ group Die Scholle in 1899. His favorite subjects include female figures, light-drenched nudes, landscapes, and outdoor life, characterized by a lively brushstroke punctuated by color. From 1929 to 1933, he went into exile in Brazil, enriching his palette with intense tropical hues. Upon his return to Germany, his opposition to National Socialism led to his being classified as a “degenerate” artist and banned from exhibiting and working as early as 1937.