Woman (Frau) from the third Ganymed-Portfolio (dritten Ganymed-Mappe)
Erich Heckel
German, 1883–1970
1913 (published 1924)
A two-color woodcut by Erich Heckel that compresses a seated woman into jagged, flattened planes, using carved black lines and blocks of red to convey psychological intensity.
You’re struck by the high-contrast black carving—sharp, rhythmic cuts that fragment the figure—while abrupt red shapes push forward, giving the image a tense, almost sculptural presence.
Made during the height of German Expressionism and part of Heckel’s Ganymed portfolio, this print helped revive and radicalize the woodcut, showing how simplified, primitive forms and bold color could express modern inner experience and shape 20th‑century printmaking.
Medium
Woodcut
Dimensions
composition: 7 1/16 x 4 1/8" (18 x 10.5 cm); sheet: 14 3/16 x 8 1/4" (36 x 21 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Carroll Cartwright
Accession
231.1955
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
