This early 20th-century etching by Stefan Eggeler (1894-1969) depicts the artist in contemplation.
Eggler was an enigmatic figure in the evolution of interwar German art. A precocious talent, he produced this piece when just 21 years old. It’s masterly, both introspective and captivating. His image is tightly constrained within borders and we’re in there with him.
His oeuvre was one of anguish, fantasy, witchcraft, and skeletal torment. Nightmares, almost visceral, played out in mezzotint. This is probably his most approachable work. Yet it still evokes a cerebral shudder as we rest upon tired eyes, black with caffeinated musings, that bulge with inquisition.
By 31, he’d retired from his art. Preferring instead the security of a legal career. As such his works are rare and this is a fine example.
Published in the "Graphische Künsten", 1917.
Signed lower right, glazed and framed.
Medium: Mezzotint etching on paper
Overall size: 11” x 13½” / 28cm x 34cm
Year of creation: c. 1915
Provenance: Private collection, Austria.
Condition: Artwork presents well.
Artist’s auction maximum: £1,381
Stefan Eggeler was an accomplished German painter, printmaker and illustrator of figures and interior scenes. He trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna under Ferdinand Dirt and Rudolf Bacher. His works are held in numerous public collections including at the Met Museum and British Museum.
Learn more about Stefan Eggeler in our directory.
We care profoundly about our role as custodians and every piece in the collection has been assessed by our conservator. When required, we undertake professional restoration carefully using reversible techniques and adopt a light touch to retain the aged charm of each work. We also often restore frames rather than replace them as many are original and selected by the artists themselves.
