Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938)

Kopf Ludwig Schames

Details

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938)
Kopf Ludwig Schames
woodcut, 1918, on soft, absorbent wove paper, presumably second state (of three), a very good impression of this rare print, signed in pencil, with margins on three sides, printed to the edge of the sheet at the upper left as usual, an approximately 60mm. tear to the left of the sitter's moustache, a very fine split towards the right edge, a few very small losses and short tears at the sheet edges backed with tissue-thin Japan, a soft vertical crease at the upper left, one or two pale stains, framed
L. 22 x 10in. (56 x 36cm.)
S. 22 3/8 x 16in. (56.9 x 40.7cm.)

Literature

A. and W.-D. Dube, E. L. Kirchner, Das graphische Werk, Munich, 1967, no. 330 II (?)

Lot Essay

This work is one of a group of large woodcut portraits executed by Kirchner in Kreuzlingen in early 1918. Ludwig Schames was to be of great importance to Kirchner. The one-man exhibitions held at the Schames gallery in Frankfurt in 1916 and 1918-22 were responsible in a large measure for the firm establishment of the artist's reputation in Germany. Kirchner described him as, 'Der feine, uneigennützige Freund der Kunst und Künstler. In edelster Weise hat er mir und manchen anderen Schaffen und Leben ermöglicht', and further, that he was, 'Wie ein guter Vater, ein Freund, ein feinsinniger verständnisvoller Förder der Kunst unserer Zeit'.

More from German and Austrian Art '97

View All