The Robert Gore Rifkind Center for German Expressionist Studies is a research facility devoted to the comprehensive study of Expressionism, the modernist movement that flourished primarily in Germany in the early twentieth century. The Rifkind Center’s collection was established through an expansive gift from Robert Gore Rifkind in 1983 and continues to grow through acquisitions supported by the Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation and other generous donors.
The Rifkind Center's collection and resources are available to researchers and visitors by appointment. The collection is also made available through continuously rotated thematic exhibitions and a Scholar-in-Residence program.
To submit an inquiry or research appointment request, please email [email protected].
The Robert Gore Rifkind Center for German Expressionist Studies is a research facility devoted to the comprehensive study of Expressionism, the modernist movement that flourished primarily in Germany in the early twentieth century. The Rifkind Center’s collection was established through an expansive gift from Robert Gore Rifkind in 1983 and continues to grow through acquisitions supported by the Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation and other generous donors.
The Rifkind Center's collection and resources are available to researchers and visitors by appointment. The collection is also made available through continuously rotated thematic exhibitions and a Scholar-in-Residence program.
To submit an inquiry or research appointment request, please email [email protected].
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5900 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-857-6165
[email protected]
The Rifkind Collection
The collection consists of works on paper by both major and lesser-known German Expressionist artists and is especially strong in works by artists of Die Brücke and the second wave of Expressionists active after World War I. The collection also incorporates examples of Jugendstil antecedents and subsequent trends such as New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit), Bauhaus, and Dada. The infamous Degenerate Art exhibitions of 1937 and "approved" Nazi art are also documented.
An important component of the collection is its library of more than 11,000 volumes which includes primary works from the Expressionist period, such as illustrated books and periodicals, monographs, monographic series, exhibition catalogues, oeuvre catalogues, almanacs, anthologies, and contemporaneous general publications on Expressionism and individual artists. The library also maintains an extensive collection of secondary resources, including reference works, current research and exhibition publications, and a subscription to the online database Der literarische Expressionismus Online.
The Rifkind Collection
The collection consists of works on paper by both major and lesser-known German Expressionist artists and is especially strong in works by artists of Die Brücke and the second wave of Expressionists active after World War I. The collection also incorporates examples of Jugendstil antecedents and subsequent trends such as New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit), Bauhaus, and Dada. The infamous Degenerate Art exhibitions of 1937 and "approved" Nazi art are also documented.
An important component of the collection is its library of more than 11,000 volumes which includes primary works from the Expressionist period, such as illustrated books and periodicals, monographs, monographic series, exhibition catalogues, oeuvre catalogues, almanacs, anthologies, and contemporaneous general publications on Expressionism and individual artists. The library also maintains an extensive collection of secondary resources, including reference works, current research and exhibition publications, and a subscription to the online database Der literarische Expressionismus Online.
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View prints and drawings in the Rifkind Center
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Find primary and secondary source publications held in the Rifkind Center
Unframed Blog Posts
Rifkind Center Exhibitions
The Rifkind Center is committed to displaying the collection on an ongoing basis and has offered a continuous program of thematic exhibitions based on the Center's holdings since 1985. To see the current exhibition now on view on the third floor of BCAM, click here.
List of previous exhibitions of the Rifkind Collection (PDF)
LACMA's long intellectual involvement with the German expressionist movement has resulted in a number of important publications. A selection of them are gathered here.
German Expressionist Sculpture (1985)
German Expressionism 1915-1925: The Second Generation (1988)
The Apocalyptic Landscapes of Ludwig Meidner (1989)
Nolde: The Painter's Prints (1995)
Exiles + emigrés : the flight of European artists from Hitler (1997)
Central European Avant-Gardes: Exchange and Transformation 1910-1930 (2002)
Between Worlds: A Sourcebook of Central European Avant-Gardes, 1910-1930 (2002)
Art of Two Germanys: Cold War Cultures (2009)
Expressionism in Germany and France: from Van Gogh to Kandinsky (2014)
LACMA's long intellectual involvement with the German expressionist movement has resulted in a number of important publications. A selection of them are gathered here.
German Expressionist Sculpture (1985)
German Expressionism 1915-1925: The Second Generation (1988)
The Apocalyptic Landscapes of Ludwig Meidner (1989)
Nolde: The Painter's Prints (1995)
Exiles + emigrés : the flight of European artists from Hitler (1997)
Central European Avant-Gardes: Exchange and Transformation 1910-1930 (2002)
Between Worlds: A Sourcebook of Central European Avant-Gardes, 1910-1930 (2002)
Art of Two Germanys: Cold War Cultures (2009)
Expressionism in Germany and France: from Van Gogh to Kandinsky (2014)
Unframed Blog Posts
The Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation funds a Scholar-in-Residence program, giving individuals the opportunity to conduct full-time research in the Rifkind Center for a period of one to two weeks. A fixed stipend is provided to help cover the costs of travel, accommodations, and living expenses over the course of the residency.
Applicants need to complete an application form and provide a current C.V. and a project description of up to 500 words. The project description should describe in detail which Rifkind Center resources are relevant to the research project. Works in the Rifkind Center collection can be searched using LACMA’s Collection Online database. Many of our rare books and periodicals, as well as the complete contents of our library can be searched in the Library Catalog.
The program is open to museum professionals, holders of master's or doctoral degrees, Ph.D. candidates, and individuals with a record of professional achievement in relevant fields. Scholars from outside of the U.S. are encouraged to apply. Application deadlines are October 31st and March 31st for spring/summer and fall/winter residencies, respectively. If you have any questions about the program, please email [email protected].
The Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation funds a Scholar-in-Residence program, giving individuals the opportunity to conduct full-time research in the Rifkind Center for a period of one to two weeks. A fixed stipend is provided to help cover the costs of travel, accommodations, and living expenses over the course of the residency.
Applicants need to complete an application form and provide a current C.V. and a project description of up to 500 words. The project description should describe in detail which Rifkind Center resources are relevant to the research project. Works in the Rifkind Center collection can be searched using LACMA’s Collection Online database. Many of our rare books and periodicals, as well as the complete contents of our library can be searched in the Library Catalog.
The program is open to museum professionals, holders of master's or doctoral degrees, Ph.D. candidates, and individuals with a record of professional achievement in relevant fields. Scholars from outside of the U.S. are encouraged to apply. Application deadlines are October 31st and March 31st for spring/summer and fall/winter residencies, respectively. If you have any questions about the program, please email [email protected].