Wilhelm leibl biography

Early Life and Training

Wilhelm Maria Hubertus Leibl was born in Cologne and, in at the age of 17 began his arts training under Hermann Becker, a local art teacher.

Wassily kandinsky 1923

In he enrolled at the Munich Academy of Art, where he studied under several artists including Avon Ramberg and Karl Theodor von Piloty. In he established a group studio, along with three other young painters, Theodor Alt, Johann Sperl and Rudolf Hirth du Frenes.

It was during this time that Gustave Courbet, a major figure in midth century French painting, came to Munich to exhibit his work, making a powerful impact on the local artists with his demonstrations of alla primaplein air painting.

After studying Courbet's method, Leibl's paintings, which up to now had been inspired by 17th century Dutch Realist artists, became looser in both brushwork and composition, their subjects depicted with impastoed paint against dark backgrounds.

In , Leibl travelled to Paris to work alongside Courbe