Selbstbildnis. 1914.
Woodcut.
Signed and dated. Bottom center titled, presumably by a hand other than that of the artist. On brownish Zanders laid paper (with the watermark). 36.1 x 29.8 cm (14.2 x 11.7 in). Sheet: 53,3 x 42,6 cm (21 x 16,8 in).
Printed by Panpresse, Berlin, and by Fritz Voigt, Berlin. [CH].

• Distinctive self-portrait of the great Expressionist, masterfully reduced to just the core characteristics.
• It bears the signature and the radical formal language of the “Brücke”, which had disbanded only the year before.
• Self-portraits are extremely rare, not only in the graphic oeuvre, but in Karl Schmidt-Rottluff's entire oeuvre.
• In the past ten years, only three copies of this woodcut have been offered on the international auction market (source: artprice.com).

PROVENANCE: Galerie Nierendorf, Berlin (1961, with the purchase number on a label on the reverse).
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: Rosa Schapire, Karl Schmidt-Rottluffs graphisches Werk bis 1923, Berlin 1924, no. H 153 (illu., plate vol.).
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Heinz Spielmann (ed.), Die Maler der Brücke. Sammlung Hermann Gerlinger, Stuttgart 1995, pp. 370f., SHG no. 618 (illu. on p. 371).
Hermann Gerlinger, Katja Schneider (eds.), Die Maler der Brücke. Inventory catalog Hermann Gerlinger Collection, Halle (Saale) 2005, pp. 70f., SHG no. 130 (illu.).

Strong and intensive impression. Very minimal mount staining. Slight horizontal creases in the upper half of the sheet. Further small creases and handling marks in the margins.