Otto Gleichmann and Expressionism in Hannover

© Photo: Herling/Herling/Werner, Sprengel Museum Hannover

Who was Otto Gleichmann?

Otto Gleichmann (Mainz 1887–1963 Hannover) moved to Hannover after World War I, where he lived until his death. As a member of the Hannoversche Sezession, he is considered part of the younger generation of German Expressionism. Despite his great success in the 1910s and 1920s, he is virtually forgotten today—an occasion to rediscover an important painter and draftsman.

The human figure is at the center of Gleichmann’s work. His stylized figures, with their characteristic cat-like eyes, reflect the experiences of World War I. They move through densely populated urban spaces, variety theaters, and circuses; intimacy and loneliness are explored in psychologically nuanced group scenes. For nearly five decades, Gleichmann focused on figure painting, supplemented by depictions of animals and a few still lifes and landscapes. His artistic development progressed from a dark, expressive early phase to a lighter, lyrical yet restless visual language in his late work, in which figures and nature increasingly merge.

Otto Gleichmann During the Nazi Era

In the 1910s and 1920s, Hannover was a center of the avant-garde. Gleichmann exhibited nationally and internationally, was represented by renowned galleries, and was the subject of a major exhibition at the Kestner-Gesellschaft in 1932. His apartment was considered an important gathering place for the art scene. During the Nazi era, his works were confiscated and defamed in the 1937 “Degenerate Art” exhibition. After 1945, Gleichmann enjoyed renewed success, but remained largely absent from the public consciousness for a long time.

The retrospective features 114 works from all phases of his career, supplemented by works by his wife, Lotte Gleichmann-Giese, as well as works by artists from the Hannover art scene. A catalog accompanies the exhibition.

Curated by Karin Orchard, with support from Nora Niefanger.