Beschreibung
Wood is probably the material most closely connected with the art of German Expressionism. And there is nothing that brings to mind the “Brücke” movement as strongly as the woodcut. Woodcuts occupy an outstanding position in the work of the three “Brücke” co-founders Kirchner, Heckel and Schmidt-Rottluff. Next to lithography, etching, and drypoint, it was precisely this printing technique whose great experimental potential the artists discovered for themselves. Not only did they revive the woodcut as an artistic medium, their woodcuts are perhaps also their greatest contribution to modernity.
The Carl Hagemann Collection at the Städel Museum in Frankfurt am Main is one of the most important collections of “Brücke” graphics. Starting from this rich collection and supplemented by some important loans, the catalog traces the distinctive features of the woodcut technique and the interrelations between media and material on the basis of around 100 selected woodcuts, printing blocks and sculptures.
