German Monoprint + Relief Print No. 11 by Franz Hirsch

A German monoprint on paper by Franz Hirsch, this work shows two stylized figures standing hand in hand, their forms emerging in vivid yellow against a richly textured black ground.

Executed as a monoprint relief print, the surface carries the unpredictability that defines the medium. Layers of ink interact across the plate, creating a dynamic marbled field marked by swirling textures and organic interruptions. The effect recalls viscosity printing, where inks of different densities resist and displace one another, allowing chance to become an active collaborator in the final image.

The figures themselves are rendered with an almost primitive directness. Their elongated outlines and simplified anatomy create a sense of movement, as though they have been uncovered rather than drawn. Against the turbulent background, they appear suspended between emergence and dissolution, held together by the single point of contact between their hands.

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.