Purrmann's world and the photography

Exhibition at the Museum Purrmann-Haus in Speyer | October 12, 2024 - April 27, 2025

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The Museum Purrmann-Haus presents the largest public collection of works by the classical modernist artist couple Hans Purrmann (1880-1966) and Mathilde Vollmoeller-Purrmann (1876-1943).

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 approximately one hundred 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.

A wide-ranging accompanying program with photography workshops, lectures, guided tours for all age groups and a variety of educational offers will anchor the topic in the present and encourage interdisciplinary exchange. In addition, a multivision will provide visitors with a thematic introduction to the exhibition, supplemented by historical film material. After painting, graphic art and sculpture have been the focus of previous special exhibitions at the Museum Purrmann Haus, the current presentation will open a window to another important form of expression of modernism: photography. With their immediacy, narrative density and diversity, historical photographs by great photojournalists continue to captivate viewers to this day.

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

Further details: Flyer

Opening: October 11, 2014, 6 pm, in the Historic Council Chamber of the City of Speyer

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

(Text: Museum Purrmann-Haus)

All pictures in our gallery and also in the photo dossier at ullstein bild.