The Academy of Arts in Berlin dismissed Walter Leistikow in 1883 for a perceived lack of talent after only one year of study. This early institutional rejection forced the young artist to pursue private instruction under Hermann Eschke and Hans Gude, setting a trajectory independent of the traditional Prussian art establishment that characterized his later professional life.
Professional Development and Teaching
After leaving the academy, Leistikow integrated himself into the Berlin art scene. From 1890 to 1893, he held an appointment at the Royal School of Art in Berlin. He also provided instruction at the private Akademie Fehr, situated at Lützowstrasse 82, between 1892 and 1895. His professional output spanned multiple disciplines, including graphic arts, etching, and furniture design, reflecting a broad approach to the visual arts.
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Leistikow played a significant role in organizing artists against academic constraints. In 1892, he joined the Vereinigung der XI, a group dedicated to challenging rigid teaching methods. He later co-founded the Deutscher Künstlerbund in 1903. His creative range included commercial projects, such as a series of German landscape trading cards produced for the Stollwerck chocolate company in 1902.
Literary Pursuits and Public Reception
Beyond his visual output, Leistikow experimented with authorship, publishing the novella Seine Cousine in 1893 and the novel Auf der Schwelle in 1896. These efforts gained little critical traction. His painting style faced notable external criticism, specifically from Kaiser Wilhelm II, who famously claimed Leistikow had ruined the Grunewald for him. Despite this royal disapproval, he remained a central figure in Impressionist and Expressionist circles.
Final Years
In 1894, he married Anna Mohr, the daughter of a Copenhagen merchant. By 1908, Leistikow suffered from the late-stage physical effects of syphilis. He ended his life that year by shooting himself at the Sanatorium Hubertus on the Schlachtensee. His legacy includes an ehrengrab in the Steglitz cemetery and two streets in Berlin named in his honor in 1908 and 1920 respectively.
Fast facts
- Born: 1865, Bydgoszcz
- Died: 1908, Berlin
- Spouse: Anna Mohr
- Notable Work: Lake Grunewald
- Education: Academy of Arts, Berlin
- Member: Berlin Secession
- Commemoration: 1972 postage stamp
- Citizenship: Kingdom of Prussia
Questions readers ask
What movements were associated with Leistikow's work?
His work is primarily identified with Impressionism and Expressionism.
Why did Kaiser Wilhelm II dislike his paintings?
The Kaiser explicitly stated that Leistikow ruined his perception of the Grunewald through his landscape depictions.
Achievements
- Notable work: Lake Grunewald
- Movement: Expressionism
