Introduction to the work of Otto Gleichmann

The artist Otto Gleichmann was born on the 20th of august 1887 in Mainz, Germany. He is seen as one of the great German artists of the twentieth century. Although he spent the major part of his active life in Hannover and didn't bind himself to artist groups, he had close ties with numerous artist friends from all over Europe including the Netherlands. Gleichmann is an artist who is well known and highly thought of by connoisseurs but unfortunenately seen too little by the greater art loving public.

In his early expressionistic works he focusses on the suffering of man in the world. As observer and artist Gleichmann tries to reduce suffering and sorrow by arousing the viewers compassion.

In the early twenties he often paints single figures who look critically and from a distance from the painting, presenting themselves to society and impressing the viewer. 

Today Otto Gleichmann is most known for the scenes of life in the twenties. His "Dancer on the slack rope", his gentlemen in variety theater, his elegiac lady portrets, city views, flower still lives, they each depict scenes from a world in which artistic solutions come forth from the painting proces but at the same time appear to address an inexaustible repertoire of images