German Color Block Print + Monoprint No. 09 by Franz Hirsch

A German color block print by Franz Hirsch, where figure and ground are reduced to their essential forms through color, texture, and contrast.

At the center of the composition, a stylized seated figure emerges through a network of white textured dots, its outline revealed by absence rather than line. The figure is suspended within a saturated field of red, a bold plane of color that dominates the surface and lends the work a sense of immediacy and presence. Against it, a hand-rolled black section anchors the composition, creating a striking dialogue between luminosity and shadow.

The printmaking process remains visible throughout. Layers of ink carry the subtle texture of the brayer, leaving variations in density and surface that speak to the handmade nature of the work. The glossy red block feels both solid and atmospheric, while the darker passage retains a tactile, almost weathered quality. Together, they create a composition that is graphic in structure yet rich in material character.

Franz Hirsch (1924–2010) was a German painter based in Munich whose work reflects the expressive spirit of postwar European modernism. Working primarily in oil, he developed a distinctive figurative style characterized by bold compositions, rich color, and an interest in the emotional qualities of everyday subjects, landscapes, and the human figure.

A founding member of the Free Academy of Munich (Freie Akademie München), Hirsch was an active participant in the city's artistic community and exhibited throughout Bavaria during his lifetime. His diverse body of work was the subject of numerous regional exhibitions, including a retrospective presentation at Galerie Entoderweder in Dorfen in 2009. Today, his paintings are appreciated for their painterly energy, strong visual presence, and balance between abstraction and representation.