Käthe Kollwitz, “Woman with Lowered Head”, 1905

Käthe Kollwitz (aka [née] Käthe Schmidt) (1867–1945)

“Woman with Lowered Head”, (aka “Woman with Bent Head” [The MET title]. “Gesenkter Frauenkopf”), 1905, published posthumously by Johanna and Bernhard von der Becke (fl.1958–1972) with the Von der Becke's two-line blindstamp: “A.V.D.BECKE/ MUENCHEN22” at the lower-right corner of the impression (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 with drypoint and roulette printed in umber/brown ink on heavy wove cream paper with full margins.

Size: (sheet) 52.6 x 44 cm: (plate) 38 x 31.8 cm; (image borderline); 36.1 x 30.3 cm.

State v (of v)

Klipstein 77 (August Klipstein 1955, “Käthe Kollwitz, Verzeichnis des graphischen Werkes”, Bern, Klipstein & Co, pp. 101–102, cat. no. 77 Vb); Knesebeck 94 (Alexandra von dem Knesebeck 2001, “Käthe Kollwitz, Werkverzeichnis der Graphik”, Bern, Kornfeld).

Condition: a richly inked, strong and well-printed impression with generously wide margins as published. The sheet is an almost pristine condition (it has never been framed) with no tears, holes, folds, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this simply superb etching exemplifying Kollwitz’s extraordinary ability to add a psychological dimension to her portrayed figures—note, for instance, the gritty textures along the image borderline and how they help to give expressive meaning to the woman’s face, in the sense that the textural “grit” (for want of a better word) visually “talks to” the inner strength of this life-hardened woman—for the total cost of AU$774 (currently US$596.76/EUR492.93/GBP422.74 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. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$774) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this large and very beautiful etching, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Käthe Kollwitz’s etching, “Woman with Folded Arms”, 1898

Käthe Kollwitz (aka [née] Käthe Schmidt) (1867–1945)

“Woman with Folded Arms” (“Frau mit übereinandergelegten”), 1898, 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).

Etching, drypoint, aquatint and sandpaper printed in a warm black ink on heavy cream wove paper with wide margins and the thee-line Von der Becke blindstamp (“A. v. d. Becke/ Kunstverlag/ Berlin-Halensee”) at lower-right corner of the impression.

Size: (sheet) 45.7 x 37.8 cm: (plate) 29 x 23 cm; (image borderline); 28.1 x 22.1 cm.

State vi (of vi)

Klipstein 41 VI (August Klipstein 1955, “Käthe Kollwitz, Verzeichnis des graphischen Werkes”, Bern, Klipstein & Co, pp. 51–52, cat. no. 41 VI); Knesebeck 43 (Alexandra von dem Knesebeck 2001, “Käthe Kollwitz, Werkverzeichnis der Graphik”, Bern, Kornfeld).

The British Museum offers a description of this print in its third state: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1949-0411-3939.

Condition: a richly inked, strong and well-printed impression with generously wide margins as published. Apart from thinning verso where there was once mounting tape, the sheet is in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, stains or foxing.

I am selling this superb etching showing an extraordinary use of sandpaper to add gritty texture to the plate—see the area below the woman’s clasped hands—and the amazing treatment of shadows on the left side of the plate where a broad sweep of parallel lines gives an emotional tenor and visual ambiguity to what may be seen, for the total cost of AU$774 (currently US$596.76/EUR492.93/GBP422.74 at the time of this listing) including 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 spark of invention to project an aura of presence and a suggestion of introspective reflection to the portrayed woman, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

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.

Kathe Kollwitz's etching, “Vier Männer in der Kneipe”, 1892/3

Kathe Kollwitz (1867–1945)

“Vier Männer in der Kneipe” (aka “Four Men in a Tavern”; “Four Men in the Bar”), 1892/3, one of Kollwitz’s earliest etchings foreshadowing her interest in the lives of manual workers, published by Johanna and Bernhard von der Becke, Munich (1931–).

Etching with drypoint and sandpaper imprint on cream-coloured wove paper with full margins as published and the two-line (“MUENCHEN-22”) von der Becke blindstamp at lower-right corner of the impression.

Size: (sheet) 28.8 x 35.2 cm; (plate) 13 x 15.8 cm.

State iii (of iii).

Klipstein 1955 12 IIIb (August Klipstein 1955, “Käthe Kollwitz, Verzeichnis des graphischen Werkes”, Bern, Klipstein & Co, p. 13); Knesebeck 2002 15 (Alexandra von dem Knesebeck 2001, “Käthe Kollwitz, Werkverzeichnis der Graphik”, Bern, Kornfeld).

The University of South Dakota (Scholarly Common) offers the following insight about this print:

“A powerful advocate for social justice, Kollwitz used her art to call attention to the plight of impoverished laborers. This print is thought to be the basis for a later work of similar composition titled Conspiracy, part of her Weavers’ Revolt series, which told the tragic story of a failed insurrection of northern European workers earlier in the 19th century. Kollwitz’ expressive image conveys a sense of foreboding; in the murky atmosphere of the pub, these men are clearly not just engaged in idle conversation”

(https://commons.und.edu/uac-all/213/).

Condition: richly inked and near faultless impression with wide margins in almost pristine condition—but there are remnants of mounting hinges verso.

I am selling this remarkable etching showing a group of men in a pub lightly silhouetted by light streaming in through a window behind them—a visual device termed “contre-jour”—lending an element of conspiratorial mystery to the dimly lit scene, for AU$630 (currently US$423.13/EUR390.55/GBP324.27 at the time of this listing) including 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 darkly glowing etching showing Kollwitz’s creative exploration of combining etching with drypoint and the gritty texture of sandpaper marks, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold

Kathe Kollwitz's etching, "Inspiration", 1905

Kathe Kollwitz (1867–1945)

“Inspiration”, 1905, a supplement to the series “Peasants’ War” (but not part of the series), published posthumously by Johanna and Bernhard von der Becke, Munich (1963–1972).

Soft and hard ground etching with sugar-lift aquatint and drypoint in warm black (umber) ink on cream-coloured wove paper with margins and the “MUENCHEN-22” von der Becke blindstamp at lower-right corner of the impression.

Size: (sheet) 78 x 45.5 cm; (plate) 56.4 x 29.7 cm.

State ix (of ix).

Klipstein 1955 91.IXb (August Klipstein 1955, “Käthe Kollwitz, Verzeichnis des graphischen Werkes”, Bern, Klipstein & Co, pp. 118–19); Knesebeck 2002 86 (Alexandra von dem Knesebeck 2001, “Käthe Kollwitz, Werkverzeichnis der Graphik”, Bern, Kornfeld).

The Käthe Kollwitz Museum (Köln) offers the following excellent insights about this print:

“Behind the peasant woman, we see a crouching, allegorical male figure. The wings of the figure indicate that he is in the tradition of inspiration personified for which there are models in both Christian and secular art. Käthe Kollwitz’s etching shows the figure whispering into the peasant woman’s ear. His left hand, clenched into a fist, is pressed down on the woman’s shoulder. His right hand is placed on the woman’s hand that clutches the shaft of the scythe as if she wanted to use it herself in the battle. Käthe Kollwitz intended to demonstrate that the peasant woman had had an inspiration.

The scarily sinister aspect of the figure may later have made the artist decide to leave it out as she wanted to represent the Peasants War as the legitimate struggle of an oppressed group of people. Kollwitz eventually decided not to use allegorical figures in her ‘Peasants War’ cycle.”

(https://www.kollwitz.de/en/inspiration-kn-86)

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Nude male figure leans over seated female figure to help her hold scythe”

(https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=684766&partId=1&searchText=inspiration&page=1)

Condition: richly inked and near faultless impression with wide margins in almost pristine condition.

I am selling this very large and graphically powerful etching by one of the most famous of the German artists at the turn of the 19^th and 20^th centuries, for AU$840 (currently US$429.65/EUR388.54/GBP333.08 at the time of this listing) including 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 impressively strong allegorical etching showing grim determination guided by divine inspiration, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print  has been sold