A Life in Painting and Instruction
Max Koch was a German history painter who emerged from a family of artists, including his father Carl and his brother Georg. His artistic journey took him from the Teaching Institute of the Decorative Arts Museum Berlin to the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. During his career, he held a significant position as a professor at the Teaching Institute of the Decorative Arts Museum Berlin, where he led the academic master's studio for monumental, theatrical, and decorative painting.
His monumental works often graced the walls of prominent public and private buildings. Notable commissions included decorations for the Prussian House of Lords, the Prussian House of Representatives, and the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. He also contributed to the decoration of the Wertheim and Tietz department stores, as well as the Lübecker Rathaus.
Panoramas and Photographic Studies
Koch was recognized for his work on several large-scale panoramas. These included a depiction of the Temple of Zeus for the Jubilee Exhibition of the Prussian Academy of Arts, a panorama of the Great Fire of Rome created with his brother Georg, and a collaborative work with his family and Hans Bohrdt depicting Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Beyond traditional painting, Koch explored photography, producing art nude model studies that adhered to academic criteria. His photographic works were published in two volumes:
- Freilicht (Vol. I)
- Der Akt (Vol. II), produced in collaboration with the architect and sculptor Otto Rieth
These studies became widely known among artists and art students of his period.
