DOI Heft:
No. 73 (April 1899)
DOI Artikel:Singer, Hans Wolfgang: Modern german lithography, [2]: Some Karlsruhe artists
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19231#0182
Modern German Lithography
FULL MOON FROM A LITHOGRAPH BY H. VON VOLKMANN
lithography. He arranged that it should be espe- may, perhaps, be unfair to treat and criticise it as
dally taught at the Academy, and he secured the one would a well-established school. Grethe,
assistance of Langhein, who had spent much of indeed, was rather averse from having anything
his time in lithographic establishments. Besides written about Karlsruhe at this early date. He
these two, Carlos Grethe was also strongly inter- said: "We are only at the beginning of our tasks,
ested in making lithography a feature of the new especially as regards lithography, and we would pre-
society's work. He arranged the publication of fer not to be judged by what we have accomplished
their first Portfolio, containing nine lithographs as yet, though some of it has been received favour-
by Daur, Gattiker, Grethe, Hein, Kalckreuth, ably enough." They intend, above all, to devote
Kampmann, Langhein, Weiss, and Wulff. This their energies towards improving commercial or
appeared in April 1896, and was followed in the "applied" lithography, if one may designate it by
next year by a more pretentious one, containing such a term. Artists throughout Germany have
twelve lithographs, that attracted considerable atten- become art-workers, and the same class of men
tion. Besides new contributions by most of the that some years ago considered anything smaller
men just named, there were others by Camper, than a ten-foot canvas beneath their dignity and
Heyne, Matthies-Masuren, Naumann, and von vocation devote themselves to-day to the design-
Volkmann. ing of furniture, carpets, jewellery, inkstands,
All this entailed a good deal of expense, and it lamps, vases, &c. In the same way Karlsruhe
was not an easy thing to find a market for such artists propose to enter upon that field in litho-
unusual portfolios. Consequently Grethe was glad graphy which has heretofore been the happy hunt-
to establish the whole undertaking upon a sound ing ground of the trades-draughtsman. They
commercial basis by arranging with the printing intend to replace the old style of business-cards,
house of G. Braun to publish the work of the menus, wine-lists, tickets, programmes, Easter,
club. Through these publications, and by means Christmas and New Year cards, and similar practical
of two exhibitions held at Diisseldorf and Berlin, work, by designs possessing genuine artistic merit,
the aims of the club became somewhat better The production of single-sheet pictures without
known. Still, even to-day it is a young body any particular application is to become a secondary
among the artistic fraternities of Germany, and it matter. It is another step taken in the direction
167
FULL MOON FROM A LITHOGRAPH BY H. VON VOLKMANN
lithography. He arranged that it should be espe- may, perhaps, be unfair to treat and criticise it as
dally taught at the Academy, and he secured the one would a well-established school. Grethe,
assistance of Langhein, who had spent much of indeed, was rather averse from having anything
his time in lithographic establishments. Besides written about Karlsruhe at this early date. He
these two, Carlos Grethe was also strongly inter- said: "We are only at the beginning of our tasks,
ested in making lithography a feature of the new especially as regards lithography, and we would pre-
society's work. He arranged the publication of fer not to be judged by what we have accomplished
their first Portfolio, containing nine lithographs as yet, though some of it has been received favour-
by Daur, Gattiker, Grethe, Hein, Kalckreuth, ably enough." They intend, above all, to devote
Kampmann, Langhein, Weiss, and Wulff. This their energies towards improving commercial or
appeared in April 1896, and was followed in the "applied" lithography, if one may designate it by
next year by a more pretentious one, containing such a term. Artists throughout Germany have
twelve lithographs, that attracted considerable atten- become art-workers, and the same class of men
tion. Besides new contributions by most of the that some years ago considered anything smaller
men just named, there were others by Camper, than a ten-foot canvas beneath their dignity and
Heyne, Matthies-Masuren, Naumann, and von vocation devote themselves to-day to the design-
Volkmann. ing of furniture, carpets, jewellery, inkstands,
All this entailed a good deal of expense, and it lamps, vases, &c. In the same way Karlsruhe
was not an easy thing to find a market for such artists propose to enter upon that field in litho-
unusual portfolios. Consequently Grethe was glad graphy which has heretofore been the happy hunt-
to establish the whole undertaking upon a sound ing ground of the trades-draughtsman. They
commercial basis by arranging with the printing intend to replace the old style of business-cards,
house of G. Braun to publish the work of the menus, wine-lists, tickets, programmes, Easter,
club. Through these publications, and by means Christmas and New Year cards, and similar practical
of two exhibitions held at Diisseldorf and Berlin, work, by designs possessing genuine artistic merit,
the aims of the club became somewhat better The production of single-sheet pictures without
known. Still, even to-day it is a young body any particular application is to become a secondary
among the artistic fraternities of Germany, and it matter. It is another step taken in the direction
167