Ludwig von Hofmann‘s works adopt inspiration from various tendencies of contemporary art, including historism, symbolism and art nouveau. Light-flooded Arcadian landscapes with idealised naked men and women in harmony with nature are his most characteristic motifs.

1882, when he had his own studio in Berlin, was a crucial time for von Hofmann. In that year he encountered the works of the naturalistic painter Hans von Marées, a meeting of minds that would have decisive influence on his own work. Also in 1892 he was one of the founding members of the artist group Die XI (The Eleven), was an active part of the Berlin art scene, and was acquainted with artists who were to define the art of the period including Max Liebermann, Lovis Corinth, Walter Leistikow, Franz Skarbina and Max Klinger.

As Klaus Carl writes in German Painting (2015), ‘von Hofmann was a painter and a graphic artist who realised many of the intentions of Anselm Feuerbach and Hans von Marées in his work, but gave them a new custom character, thanks to his personality and to the influences of the French art. The poetic world described by Hofmann is free from any defects of existence. His humans are timeless – eternally young, beautiful, and innocent. They swim, cheer, rest, play, or dance. And from these paintings, shine soft and calming colours that vibrate in swinging rhythm with beautiful, harsh, and caressing lines, all brought together into a single unit of captivating grace. Hofmann’s paintings are like sweet dreams; though they do not deeply stir the soul, but they move like tender music. They are a feast for the eyes, a jewellery even for the monumental space in the best sense.’