Anglers (Angler) from Ten Woodcuts by Lyonel Feininger
Lyonel Feininger
American, 1871–1956
(1919, published 1941)
A small woodcut in which Feininger reduces fishermen and their gear to sharp, geometric silhouettes, aiming to convey the rhythmic structure of a harbor rather than a literal view.
Stark black shapes on white immediately catch the eye—spiky diagonals and intersecting verticals turn poles, masts, and figures into a compact, almost architectural pattern like a miniature abstract cityscape.
Made at the height of German Expressionism, this print demonstrates how Feininger modernized the woodcut—bridging medieval folk traditions and Cubist abstraction—and helped shape the graphic language associated with the Bauhaus and modern printmaking.
Medium
One from a portfolio of ten woodcuts
Dimensions
composition: 3 15/16 x 5 1/2" (10 x 14 cm); sheet: 6 13/16 x 9 3/16" (17.3 x 23.3 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Purchase
Accession
572.1949.9
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
![Woodcut for Anglers (with Sun and Ships) (Angler [mit Sonne und Schiffen])](https://www.moma.org/media/W1siZiIsIjE0MDA1NCJdLFsicCIsImNvbnZlcnQiLCItcmVzaXplIDEwMjR4MTAyNFx1MDAzZSJdXQ.jpg?sha=94afd8b95e76ac4f)
