German Color Monoprint No. 14 by Franz Hirsch
A German color monoprint and viscosity relief print on paper by Franz Hirsch, this work is defined by the tension between a singular human form and the unpredictable movement of ink.
At its center, a standing figure raises both arms behind the head. Rendered in a striking palette of red and black, the image relies on contrast. The figure emerges through layered impressions, its silhouette simultaneously asserted and partially absorbed by the surrounding field. Rather than separating subject from background, the printing process allows the two to interact, creating an image that feels discovered within the surface rather than placed upon it.
The work’s most distinctive quality lies in its richly textured ground. Produced through monoprint and viscosity relief techniques, the background is alive with marbled passages, splattered formations, and shifting densities of ink. These organic textures result from the physical behavior of rolled inks on the printing plate, where pressure, viscosity, and chance collaborate to create patterns that cannot be precisely repeated. The surface carries an energy that feels elemental—part landscape, part atmosphere, part abstraction.
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.
DIMENSIONS: 11"W x 1"D x 13"H
ORIGIN: Germany
PERIOD: 20th Century
MATERIALS: Paper
CONDITION:
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