Stevenstift in Leiden

When young, Liebermann tackled unpopular subjects including orphanages, old people’s homes, and factories, usually painted with a sunny, matter-of-fact naturalism. Stoical in their making do, his models’ resolutely “good face” is still light-years away from whatever social criticism their condition might imply. However, in their day such subjects suggested an unseemly curiosity concerning subjects best left unseen.