Felix Nussbaum

Masquerading plays a unique role in the work of German-Jewish artist Felix Nussbaum (1904–1944). It serves as a means of self-reflection in times of upheaval as well as being an attempt to preserve his own artistic identity in face of the growing threat from National Socialism. This catalogue is dedicated to the motif, which has been little researched to date in Nussbaum’s work, presenting his mask paintings in juxtaposition with works by contemporaries including Max Beckmann, James Ensor, Karl Hofer, Emil Nolde and Lea Grundig. The works’ presentation is complemented by in-depth art-historical essays on the subject. These draw links to contemporary discourse on society and identity politics, where ‘masking’ is omnipresent.

• New insights into Felix Nussbaum’s oeuvre
• Depictions of masks in the first half of the 20^th century
• The opportunities and risks of “masking” in today’s post-migrant societies
• Exhibition: Felix-Nussbaum-Haus at Museumsquartier Osnabrück, November 22, 2026 to April 4, 2027