Die erste Hilfe (First Aid), plate VIII from "Somme 1916", 1918 (edition published 1920)
Max Pechsteinexpand_more
Hand-colored drypoint with aquatint; trial proofexpand_more
The Mr. and Mrs. Hall James Peterson Fundexpand_more P.69.160
Not on Viewexpand_more
Max Pechstein was a leading German expressionist painter and printmaker and member of the avant-garde artist association Die Brucke. This poignant portrayal of a mortally wounded soldier is based on his own experiences and memories serving as a soldier in the German army during the First World War (1914-18). The print, a rare hand-colored proof outside of the regular edition, was published as part of a series of dramatic scenes of modern warfare that comprised Pechstein's Somme 1916 portfolio.
The Somme, a region in northern France, was the site of a series of battles in the summer and fall of 1916 between allied British and French armies and entrenched German forces. The conflict soon devolved into a war of attrition that ultimately claimed more than 850,000 lives. As a consequence, the Somme has become a symbol of the utter senselessness of war.
Details
- Title
- Die erste Hilfe (First Aid), plate VIII from "Somme 1916"
- Artist Life
- 1881–1955
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.69.160
- Provenance
- (Galerie Stangl, Munich, Germany); sold to MIA, 1969.
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Kruger R103; Fechter R95; Gurlitt MW
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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