Galerie Thannhauser, founded by Justin K. Thannhauser (1892–1976), was renowned for its promotion of modern art and held an important position in the Berlin art world from 1927 to 1933.
Justin K. Thannhauser [FIG. 1] came from a Jewish family of art dealers and first worked at the Moderne Galerie in Munich, established by his father Heinrich Thannhauser (1859–1934) in 1909, before opening a new branch in Lucerne in 1920. The Moderne Galerie organised one of the first major German exhibitions of Pablo Picasso in 1913, which led to Thannhauser’s lifelong friendship with the artist. The gallery also presented the premiere exhibition of the artist group Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) in 1911–12.
In 1927 Thannhauser relocated the Munich and Lucerne galleries to Berlin under the new name Galerie Thannhauser. The Berlin gallery was situated at Bellevuestrasse 13 [FIG. 2]. The architects Hans & Wassili Luckhardt and Alfons Anker designed a strikingly modern entrance building featuring large curved glass panes for displaying paintings set in front of a townhouse built in 1901–02 [FIG. 3]. Private viewing spaces were available on the upper floors [FIG. 4].
In rapid succession, Thannhauser presented an exhibition program focused on what had been the gallery’s hallmark since its foundation: the promotion of modern German and French art, from Adolph Menzel to the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists. One of the first Berlin exhibitions was a major posthumous retrospective of Claude Monet in 1928 [FIG. 5, 6]. The same year, the Galerie Thannhauser in Berlin presented a Paul Gauguin exhibition [FIG. 7].
The weekly art newspaper Die Kunstauktion reported on 19 February 1929 about the Monet exhibition:
‘The Galerie Thannhauser Berlin ... has opened ... its Claude Monet exhibition, which is meritorious, as it excellently shows the development of this artist from 1863 to 1910.... The 70 paintings gathered in the beautiful rooms of the gallery bear witness to the expertise and energy with which this exhibition has been pursued.... For a number of years, it has been the art dealers ... who have organised large, very important exhibitions, thereby promoting art history in an extremely positive way and, moreover, imparting knowledge of artists and works of art to wide circles, from which indirectly the museums were again allowed to draw their advantage.’
In 1930 the gallery experienced a major success with the largest Henri Matisse exhibition seen in Germany at the time [FIGS. 8-13].
In 1937, Thannhauser and his family were forced to leave Germany and relocated to Paris, where he already owned an apartment and briefly opened a new gallery. In 1939 the family left Paris for Switzerland and in 1941 were able to reach New York. Thannhauser already had relationships in the US, on which he was able to build. Rather than reopening the gallery, Thannhauser established himself as a private dealer.
In 1963, Thannhauser gifted part of his private collection to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, which was added to by his second wife Hilde in 1991. Today, the Thannhauser gallery archives can be viewed at ZADIK in Cologne. [FIG. 14]
Justin K. Thannhauser sold Claude Monet’s painting Le Pommier, 1879 with the provenance of Paul Cassirer who had the painting in 1906 to the Prague-based collector Paul H. (Pavel) Schmolka (1891-?) in April 1931. The painting remained in his family until the 1970s. In May 2018 Le Pommier was offered for sale at Christie’s. (FIG. 14)
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In 1930 the gallery experienced a major success with the largest Henri Matisse exhibition seen in Germany at the time [FIGS. 8-13].
In 1937, Thannhauser and his family were forced to leave Germany and relocated to Paris, where he already owned an apartment and briefly opened a new gallery. In 1939 the family left Paris for Switzerland and in 1941 were able to reach New York. Thannhauser already had relationships in the US, on which he was able to build. Rather than reopening the gallery, Thannhauser established himself as a private dealer.
In 1963, Thannhauser gifted part of his private collection to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, which was added to by his second wife Hilde in 1991. Today, the Thannhauser gallery archives can be viewed at ZADIK in Cologne. [FIG. 14]
Justin K. Thannhauser sold Claude Monet’s painting Le Pommier, 1879 with the provenance of Paul Cassirer who had the painting in 1906 to the Prague-based collector Paul H. (Pavel) Schmolka (1891-?) in April 1931. The painting remained in his family until the 1970s. In May 2018 Le Pommier was offered for sale at Christie’s. (FIG. 14)
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Related addresses: Schöneberger Ufer 38 until May 1935 (Architect: Heinrich Schweitzer); Schöneberger Ufer 71
Budapester Strasse (1932) not identical with today’s Budapester Strasse; Lützowstrasse 32 I (October 1925–1930); Königin-Augusta-Strasse 22 (October 1930–1932) - in 1933 this street becomes Tirpitzufer 84 and in 1947 it was renamed to Reichpietschufer. Lützowufer 19a (November 1932–1937), since 1933: Galerie Nierendorf; Großadmiral-von-Koester-Ufer 65 (1935–1947), Schöneberger Ufer.
Potsdamer Strasse 134c (Mid-Oct 1918-Sept 1924); Schöneberger Ufer 38 (July 1927-1931); Großadmiral-von-Koester-Ufer 39 respectively (since 1936) Großadmiral-von-Koester-Ufer 73 (1935-1939);Kluckstrasse 12 (May 1939 –Dec 1949)
Employee and partner at the Galerie / Kunstsalon Paul Cassirer
Related addresses: Street partially still exists as Hitzigallee.
Related addresses: Koenigin-Augusta-Strasse 46, in 1933 becomes Tirpitzufer 84, in 1947 becomes Reichpietschufer. Her last address in Berlin before deportation to Theresienstadt Bleibtreustrasse 17.
ALL BUILDINGS ARE DESTROYED
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Henry van de Velde (1894-1943), designer of the interior of the reading room at the gallery Paul Cassirer, Victoria Strasse 35.
(Street and building are destroyed)
Related addresses: Reichskammer der Bildenden Künste, Government agency 1933-1945; Blumes Hof 4-6 (since June 1934; street and building are destroyed; today's postcode 10785), Derfflingerstrasse 7 (from October 1935 until March 1937), Ahornstrasse 2 (1938). Today's postcode 10785
