Artwork
Adolph Menzel
Adolph Menzel is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Karl Stauffer-Bern. It dates from 1885 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
In 1885, Swiss artist Karl Stauffer-Bern produced an etching and drypoint portrait of the German painter Adolph Menzel. Executed on chine collé, the print presents Menzel in a three‑quarter profile, his balding head highlighted by white hair at the sides and back, and his gaze turned to the right. The work measures the likeness of a fellow artist renowned for his meticulous drawings and prints.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait captures Menzel as a thoughtful figure, his high‑collared coat and solemn expression suggesting a contemplative demeanor. By rendering the subject in profile, Stauffer-Bern emphasizes the artist’s individual character and the intellectual intensity associated with Menzel’s own detailed approach to art.
Technique & Style
Stauffer-Bern employed both etching and drypoint on a thin paper support adhered to a backing sheet (chine collé). The image is built up with fine cross‑hatching and delicate lines that create texture and depth, while the drypoint work adds richer, velvety shadows. The print is rendered entirely in black ink against a light background, allowing subtle tonal variations to emerge.
History & Provenance
Born in 1857, Stauffer‑Bern was active as a painter, etcher, and sculptor before settling in Florence. The portrait bears his signature and the date "Nov 85" in the lower left corner, confirming its completion in November 1885. The work reflects the artist’s engagement with contemporary German art circles and his respect for Menzel’s legacy.
Context
During the late nineteenth century, portrait prints served both as personal tributes and as a means of disseminating the likenesses of notable cultural figures. Stauffer‑Bern’s choice of etching and drypoint aligns with the period’s revival of intaglio techniques, which allowed for nuanced rendering of facial features and fabric.
Artist & collection
Artist
Karl Stauffer, known as Karl Stauffer-Bern (2 September 1857, Trubschachen – 24 January 1891, Florence) was a Swiss painter, etcher and sculptor.
