Kathe Kollwitz’s soft-ground etching with aquatint and drypoint, “Frauenkopf”, 1905

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.