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Peter Schlemihls wundersame Geschichte (Peter Schlemihl's Wondrous Story) (Title Page)

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

1915

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Early Modern

Dominant colour

Peter Schlemihls wundersame Geschichte (Peter Schlemihl's Wondrous Story) (Title Page) is a 1915 ink by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
When & what style?: 1915
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This print shows bold, blocky letters spelling out a German title at the top. Below it, two stick-figure people stand facing each other, one holding a hat. The background is mostly red and blue, with sharp, uneven lines. The whole thing looks hand-carved, like it was stamped onto paper. The title refers to a fairy tale about a man who trades his shadow for gold. The artist used a single wood block to carve all the shapes and colors. Next, look up woodcut to see how this printmaking technique works.