Der Tierarzt Maurer ("Der Schimmelreiter")

Painted in 1872, this portrait of Veterinarian Maurer — subtitled 'The White Horse Rider' — is an early example of Leibl's penetrating character studies of Bavarian professional men. The veterinarian sits with the quiet authority of a man accustomed to practical responsibility, and Leibl renders him without social pretension. The nickname 'Schimmelreiter' (white horse rider) was presumably a colloquial identity for Maurer in his community. The Wallraf-Richartz canvas belongs to the years when Leibl was beginning to establish himself after his formative encounter with Courbet in Munich and developing his distinctive brand of German social realism.

The half-length figure is painted with Leibl's characteristic tonal rigor — a limited palette of warm browns, blacks, and flesh tones creates a psychologically concentrated image. The face receives his most careful attention, with the broader forms of coat and hands handled more summarily.