When Graphic Art Conquered Paris

Starting on September 1, the Museum Folkwang in Essen will focus on Paris as a center for original graphic art. In the 20th century, the truly great artists increasingly turned to this technique, which they had already become familiar with and loved in the late 19th century through prints and original lithographic posters. The etchings and lithographs of such luminaries as Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Marc Chagall had the advantage over classical painting of being able to reach even more people. They allowed the French metropolis to become the main venue for the medium. The exhibition Chagall, Matisse, Miró - Made in Paris traces this historical development by presenting works from the Parisian printmaking tradition from the end of the 19th century to the present day.

The so-called artist's books with original graphics were especially popular in Paris at the beginning of the 20th century. This gave artists the opportunity to illustrate and comment on the text with their pictorial motifs. Publishers such as Ambroise Vollard, Tériade, and Aimé Maeght, as well as specialized printers, contributed to the distribution of these books. The books were not bound, as one might think. Rather, they were a kind of portfolio made up of individual sheets. For the exhibition, the Museum Folkwang is presenting works from its own collection, supplemented by private and public loans. Visitors can look forward to well-known artists and contemporary positions - the museum revives the Parisian graphic boom with names such as Max Ernst, Pablo Picasso and Edvard Munch, and continues it with more recent representatives such as Jim Dine and David Lynch. Made in Paris will close on January 7, 2024.