Kathe Kollwitz (1867–1945)
“Frauenkopf” (Woman’s Head), 1905, published posthumously by Johanna and Bernhard von
der Becke (fl.1958–1972) with the Von der Becke's three-line
Berlin-Halensee blindstamp (see Iris Schmeisser’s account of the publication
history of Kollwitz’s prints offered by the MOMA: https://www.moma.org/s/ge/collection_ge/artist/artist_id-20099_role-3_thumbs.html).
Soft-ground etching, aquatint
and drypoint printed in a dark umber ink on cream-coloured wove paper and the
thee-line Von der Becke blindstamp (“A. v. d. Becke/ Kunstverlag/
Berlin-Halensee”) at lower-right corner of the impression.
Size: (sheet) 34.3 x 35.2 cm;
(plate) 23.5 x 14.3 cm; (image borderline) 22 x 13.3 cm.
Initialled on plate at lower
left corner: “K”.
State v (of v)
Klipstein 76 v (August
Klipstein 1955, “Käthe Kollwitz, Verzeichnis des graphischen Werkes”, Bern,
Klipstein & Co, pp. 99–100); Knesebeck 93 (Alexandra von dem Knesebeck
2001, “Käthe Kollwitz, Werkverzeichnis der Graphik”, Bern, Kornfeld).
Condition: richly inked and
near faultless impression with full margins as published. There are remnants of
mounting tape verso and there is a faint darkening to the image area (no doubt
from the etching having been mounted in the past) otherwise the sheet is in
excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, foxing, significant
stains or signs of handling).
I am selling this remarkably strong
etching showing Kollwitz’s skill in capturing the quietly stoic presence—perhaps
even a noble presence?—arising from the hard life of working-class women in
Germany during the late 1800s and early 1900s, for AU$598 (currently US$435.64/EUR367.63/GBP340.39
at the time of this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling
to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed
by some countries.
If you are interested in
purchasing this remarkable etching exemplifying Kollwitz’s creative invention in
the juxtaposition of soft-ground etching, employed to create gritty contour
lines describing the form of the face, with aquatint, used to create a smoky atmospheric
background, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send
you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.
thank you for writing this! i love käthe kollwitz and i do not see this piece talked about enough :))
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