Max Klinger (1857-1920) 

"Ein Schritt" ["One Step"]

1882

etching and aquatint on Japan paper

rare trial proof of the second state

45,5 x 28 cm (plate); 60,5 x 42,5 cm (sheet)

signed and dated in pencil lower left: "Max Klinger 28. März 1882."

titled in pencil lower center: "Eine Mutter. II.

inscribed by the artist in pencil lower right: "Deuxième état  Deuxième épreuve"

The Daulton Collection

Provenance: 

Heinrich Stinnes Collection, Cologne, with its collector's stamp (Lugt 4436) in the lower left corner

Galerie Kornfeld, Bern, Auction 24, June 24-25, 1999, Lot 599

thereafter, Private Collection, Munich

Singer (catalogue raisonne) 148 II (of VII)

A rare trial proof of Plate 2 from Klinger's Dramen cycle.  

Magnificent, strong and precise early impression; lower right with the desired etched spots.

condition: a wide margin around the platemark; isolated brown stains; some creases on the edges; otherwise a good copy.

Max Klinger (1857-1920) 

"Eine Mutter I" ["A Mother I"]

1883

etching and aquatint on paper

rare trial proof of the second state

45,7 x 31,7 cm (plate)

signed and dated in pencil lower left: "MKlinger. 27 febr. 83"

inscribed by the artist in pencil lower left: "2. Zustand 2. Druck" [2nd state, 2nd impression]

The Daulton Collection

Singer (catalogue raisonne) 149 II (of VII)

Rare.  Singer knew of only three impressions of the second state.

Max Klinger (1857-1920) 

"Eine Mutter II" ["A Mother II"]

1882

etching

rare trial proof of the first state

46 x 31,8 cm (plate)

signed and also inscribed "1. Zustand" ["1. state"]

The Daulton Collection

Singer (catalogue raisonne) 150 I (of IX), with the bright sky and bright left foreground before aquatint

Another impression of the first state of this print is in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, accession no. 2012.80.1.

Max Klinger (1857-1920) 

"Eine Mutter II" ["A Mother II"]

1882

etching on Japan paper

rare trial proof of the second state

45,3 x 31,5 cm (plate); 64,7 x 46,2 cm (sheet)

signed and dated in pencil lower left: "MKlinger. 19.XII.82"

inscribed by the artist in pencil lower left: "2me état. 5me épreuve."

titled by the artist in pencil below center: "Dramen No. IV.  Eine Mutter 2."

The Daulton Collection

Singer (catalogue raisonne) 150 II (of IX)

Provenance: ex coll. Georg Philipp (1915-1955, Copenhagen), grandson of the Danish writer Georg Brandes (1842-1927, Copenhagen).

Condition: slightly browned, slightly stained, traces of mounting along the left edge, otherwise fine.

Discussion:

A rare trial proof of Plate 4 from Klinger's Dramen [Dramas] cycle.  A magnificent, strong impression; extremely rare proof from the unfinished plate before all the writing and before the horizontal lines in the water lower left. On the full, uncut sheet.

This unfinished proof probably shows the condition of the plate between states II and III. Although Klinger himself designates the print as "2me état," Singer describes state II as being before the aquatint at the bottom left, which only appears in state III; however, the aquatint can already be seen in our example.  Yet our example does not yet have the horizontal lines in the water lower left, which are found in state III.

Hans Singer, the author of the Klinger catalogue raisonne, only knew of seven impressions of state II.  In addition to Klinger's signature and date, the sheet bears technical information on the printing, which the artist noted in French, as he often did during the printing process: "2me état. 5me épreuve"["2nd state, 5th proof impression"].

"Sheet 4 from the series "Dramas", Opus IX. Influenced by French naturalistic literature, in particular by the writings of Émile Zola, Klinger wanted to achieve an exact and immediate transcription of social reality with the prints of the series "Dramas" - six tragic events of everyday life are recorded in their most significant moments. In "Eine Mutter II", Klinger shows a desperate mother on the canal bank who was rescued after her suicidal jump into the water, but her son was not. By making the words "Akademie" and "Deu[t]sche Kunst" recognizable in the background on the facade on the right, he may be criticizing the official academy, which dealt with the social problems of the time too little or not at all."  B

Max Klinger (1857-1920) 

"Eine Mutter II" ["A Mother II"]

1882

etching on Japan paper

rare trial proof of the second state

45,4 x 31,6 cm (plate); 64,8 x 46,8 cm (sheet)

signed and dated in pencil lower left: "MKlinger. 19./XII.82"

inscribed by the artist in pencil lower right: "2me état. 6me épreuve."

The Daulton Collection

Singer (catalogue raisonne) 150 II (of IX)

Condition: minor signs of age and wear; minimal creases in the right margin as well as faint foxing; otherwise in very nice condition.

A rare trial proof of Plate 4 from Klinger's Dramen [Dramas] cycle.  A magnificent, concise and extremely rare proof from the unfinished plate before all the writing and before the horizontal lines in the water lower left. On the full, uncut sheet.

Hans Singer, the author of the Klinger catalogue raisonne, only knew of seven impressions of state II.  In addition to Klinger's signature and date, the sheet bears technical information on the printing, which the artist noted in French, as he often did during the printing process: "2me état. 6me épreuve"["2nd state, 6th proof impression"].

Condition: minor signs of age and wear; minimal creases in the right margin as well as faint foxing; otherwise in very nice condition.

Max Klinger (1857-1920) 

"Eine Mutter II" ["A Mother II"]

1883

etching and aquatint on Japan paper

rare trial proof of the fourth state

45,4 x 32 cm (plate); 55 x 35,2 cm (sheet)

signed and dated in pencil lower left: "M. Klinger. 28/3.83"

titled in pencil lower center: "Eine Mutter. II."

inscribed by the artist in pencil lower right: "4.état: 2me épreuve"

The Daulton Collection

Provenance: Heinrich Stinnes Collection, with its collector's stamp (Lugt 1376a) in the lower left corner

Singer (catalogue raisonne) 150 IV

A rare trial proof of the fourth state of Plate 4 from Klinger's Dramen cycle.