Children Skating on a lake in the Tiergarten, Berlin

In 1873 Liebermann made his first visit to Paris. There he made the acquaintance of Munkacsy, just three years his senior, and through this friendship, was introduced to many of the leading art figures of the time. His first Salon entry came in 1876 with Travailleurs dans un champ de navets, and in 1879 he submitted Jésus au milieu des Docteurs. The following year he submitted L'école maternelle d'Amsterdam. However it was not until 1881 when he received his first medal in a Salon. This 1881 award solidified his position as one of the premier foreign artists working in Paris and was also significant as it was the first time in a decade that the Salon jury had awarded a medal to a German artist. In the years that followed, Liebermann continued his success at the Salon and enjoyed international patronage.
This painting was examined and authenticated by Dr. Matthias Eberle. It has been dated circa 1923-4. We are grateful to Dr. Eberle for his assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.