German Encounters with Modernism, 1840-1945

In German Encounters with Modernism, Peter Paret traces the reception of modern art, from the 1840s through the Nazi era, through the lens of social and political developments in Germany. Addressing broad cultural topics, such as the early history of Expressionism, the role of anti-Semitism in German reactions to modernism, the impact of World War I on the arts, and the function of art, both as a political target and a political weapon, it also includes new interpretations of the work of artists such as the sculptor Ernst Barlach. Based on archival discoveries, this study combines a strong narrative approach with interdisciplinary analysis. It opens different perspectives on the history of German art in a critically important, and ultimately tragic period of German history.