Awakening (from the series A Love)

Art Historical Context

" Awakening" forms part of Max Klinger's ambitious print cycle "A Love" (Eine Liebe), created between 1887 and 1903. Klinger, a leading figure in the German Symbolist movement, used the series to trace the emotional arc of a encounter through ten meticulously crafted scenes. This particular impression—an etching and engraving in its third edition and eighth state—reveals the artist's command of tonal gradation and fine line work, techniques that allowed him to suggest both delicate textures and psychological depth. The medium of etching and engraving was especially suited to Klinger's narrative ambitions. By combining the fluid bitten lines of etching with the precise, controlled marks of engraving, he achieved rich contrasts and subtle atmospheric effects that heighten the dreamlike quality of the imagery. The presence of a female figure, noted among the work's primary tags, underscores the series' focus on intimate human experience. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Drawings and Prints, this sheet exemplifies how late-nineteenth-century printmakers transformed traditional techniques into vehicles for modern emotional and symbolic expression. Its generous plate size and careful printing invite viewers to linger over the quiet drama unfolding within the composition.

About the Artist

Wilhelm Felsing|Max Klinger (German| ) · 1857 | –1920 |

German, Leipzig 1857–1920 Großjena|