Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

The rare lithograph printed in dark blue, grey-blue, yellow and red, 1909, signed in pencil, inscribed 'Handdruck', titled verso 'Laufende Mädchen am Fluß' and inscribed '90 M', one of seven known impressions cited by Gercken, on smooth wove paper, framed

Ex coll. E. L. Kirchner (Lugt 1570b); presumably sold Stuttgarter Kunstkabinett, 19. Auktion, 19.05.1954, Nr. 991; acquired by the family of the present owner, thence by descent.

With margins, in good condition, except the red and yellow slightly attenuated, three skilfully repaired minute paper losses at the lower edge of the stone (the largest measures 5 by 2mm), three minor repairs and a tiny tear (2mm) at the upper sheet edge, thinning across the lower left sheet tip verso, the Estate inkstamp possibly retraced, framed.
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The year 1909 was one of Kirchner's most fruitful periods for printmaking.  In this year alone he produced 13 colour lithographs.  Amongst them, this undoubtedly stands out as one of the highlights.  Its vigorous colours applied in bold, confident blocks combine with the fluid vitality of the outlines to imbue the work with a sense of movement and energy which stands to this day.

Originally believed to have been printed using four separate stones, it is now thought that Kirchner printed the work by hand using just one stone.  As part of a painstaking process, the artist repeatedly used the same stone for each colour, requiring him to wipe the stone clean between each application.  The existence of residual ink in the margins at the edge of the composition points convincingly to the use of a single stone, rather than multiple stones.  The process gives each impression a unique character.

While Gercken cites seven known impressions of this subject, only five were certainly printed in this colour composition.  He describes a sixth impression with the outline printed in black rather than dark blue, and a seventh that has been lost.  Only three impressions, including the current impression, were signed in pencil by the artist.  One of these is in the collection of the Sprengel Museum, Hannover. 

The backdrop of the river Elbe near Dresden served as subject matter not only for this lithograph but also for a number of other prints, paintings and watercolours (see Fig. 1).

We are grateful to Professor Dr. Günther Gercken for his assistance in cataloguing this lot.