Clown am Spiegel (28. Jahresblatt). 1958.
Woodcut in colors.
Dube H 428 II (of II). Signed and dated. Dated and inscribed "für 59" in the print. On firm Japon. 18.1 x 13.5 cm (7.1 x 5.3 in). Sheet: 25,2 x 17,5 cm (9,8 x 6,9 in).
Published as the 24th annual sheet for the year 1959. In 1930 Heckel began to send a graphic work, usually a small woodcut with a symbolic message, to his friends at the turn of the year. By 1968, he had produced 38 such "Jahresblätter". [CH].
• Strong print in three contrasting colors.
• The world of vaudeville, theater and circus was one of the main motifs of the "Brücke" artists and had a lasting influence on Heckel's artistic work until his late creative period.
• Heckel used a famous film still from the 1928 silent film "Laugh, Clown, Laugh" (directed by Herbert Brenon and Ray Lissner), which shows the American actor Lon Chaney (1883-1930) posing in front of a mirror dressed as Pierrot.
• Heckel also used the motif in other prints as well as in watercolors of the same name (1931, Städel Museum, Frankfurt a. M.) and two paintings (1930, destroyed and 1946, Museum Folkwang, Essen).
• Further copies of the color woodcut are in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and the Museum Folkwang, Essen.

PROVENANCE: Hermann Gerlinger Collection, Würzburg (with the collector's stamp Lugt 6032).

EXHIBITION: Schleswig-Holsteinisches Landesmuseum, Schloss Gottorf, Schleswig (permanent loan from the Hermann Gerlinger Collection, 1995-2001).
Kunstmuseum Moritzburg, Halle an der Saale (permanent loan from the Hermann Gerlinger Collection, 2001-2017).
Buchheim Museum, Bernried (permanent loan from the Hermann Gerlinger Collection, 2017-2022).

LITERATURE: Heinz Spielmann (ed.), Die Maler der Brücke. Sammlung Hermann Gerlinger, Stuttgart 1995, p. 354, SHG no. 579 (illu.).
Hermann Gerlinger, Katja Schneider (eds.), Die Maler der Brücke. Inventory catalog Hermann Gerlinger Collection, Halle (Saale) 2005, p. 267, SHG no. 607a (illu.).

In good condition. With isolated faint, partly paper-related creases and compression marks in the margins.