Gustav Wolf (Östringen 1887-1947 Greenfield, Massachusetts)
"Welt" ["World"]
1928
portfolio of 12 woodcuts, plus title sheet, on light cardboard
51,5 x 65 cm (sheets)
the first proof impressions of this opus
without the portfolio cover that was only made later for the published edition (edition of 100)
each principal sheet signed in pencil lower right: "Gustav Wolf"
title sheet inscribed by the artist in pencil with dedication and dated: "Für Herrn Dr. Heinrich Stinnes diese ersten Andrucke einer Mappe. Karlsruhe im Mai 1928" ["For Dr. Heinrich Stinnes these first proofs of a portfolio. Karlsruhe in May 1928"]
ending [Ausgang] sheet inscribed and monogrammed by the artist in pencil:
"Diese Drucke sind die ersten in der Presse und zeigen - allerdings noch sehr roh und unvollendet und oft auch noch unrichtig zugerichtet - die Art, wie ich sie drucken will. Die Mappe erscheint im Herbst bei Eugen Diederichs, Jena. Papier, Format etc. wird geändert. GW"
["These prints are the first in the press and show - albeit still very raw and unfinished and often improperly trimmed too - the way I want to print it. The portfolio will appear in autumn with Eugen Diederichs, Jena. Paper, format etc. will be changed. GW "]
Provenance: Heinrich Stinnes (1867-1932), Cologne, the greatest German print collector of his day
Condition: paper browned with defects, including paper losses, in the margins
a one-of-a-kind set!
Discussion:
"The painter and graphic artist Gustav Wolf was a student of Hans Thoma. In 1919, he founded the 'Gemeinschaft der Pforte' ['Gateway Community'] with Alfred Mombert and Richard Benz in Heidelberg. And Wolf taught at the Badische Landeskunstgewerbeschule in Karlsruhe. In 1938, he emigrated to the USA." B
"a dynamically arranged sequence of dream landscapes"
References:
Johann Eckart von Borries, Gustav Wolf. Das druckgraphische Werk, Ausst. Kat. Karlsruhe 1982, H. 106-108.
