Abduction (Entführung)
1878/1880
Medium
etching and aquatint in black on chine collé
Dimensions
plate: 11.9 x 26.9 cm (4 11/16 x 10 9/16 in.) sheet: 34.8 x 52.8 cm (13 11/16 x 20 13/16 in.)
Classification
Portfolio
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Anonymous Gift
Accession Number
1995.82.9
Art Historical Context
**Abduction (Entfü)**, created by Max Klinger between 1878 and 1880, captivates with its dramatic title evoking myths of capture and desire—think classical tales like the abduction of Europa or Persephone. Klinger, a pioneering Germanist and printmaker (1857–1920), was at the forefront of late 19th-century graphic art, blending Romantic fantasy with psychological depth. This work, part of a portfolio in the National Gallery of (anonymous gift, CG-E department), exemplifies his early mastery in exploring the surreal and erotic undercurrents of human experience. Crafted as an etching and aquati...
About the Artist
Max Klinger · 1857–1920
Max Klinger, born on February 18, 1857, in Leipzig to a wealthy family, emerged as one of Germany's most innovative artists across painting, sculpture, printmaking, and graphics. Demonstrating early talent, he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Karlsruhe in 1874 as a pupil of Karl Gussow, following his teacher to the Berlin Academy upon Gussow's appointment as director, and graduated in 1877 ...