Man at the Sea, Self-portrait (Mann am Meer, Selbstporträt)
1923
Medium
etching and engraving, with black and green wiping
Dimensions
sheet: 53.5 × 38 cm (21 1/16 × 14 15/16 in.) plate: 25 × 24.2 cm (9 13/16 × 9 1/2 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen
Accession Number
2012.92.260
Art Historical Context
Walter Gramatté's *Man at the Sea,-portrait* (1923) captures the artist's introspective gaze amid the vast, elemental force of the ocean. Created during the turbulent Weimar Republic era in Germany, this etching and engraving reflects Gramatté's Expressionist leanings, where distorted forms and emotional intensity convey inner turmoil. As a self-portrait, it invites viewers to ponder the artist's personal struggles—Gramatté, who died young at 41, often infused his works with mystical and psychological depth. The print's innovative technique stands out: fine lines etched and engraved into the ...
About the Artist
Walter Gramatté
Walter Gramatté, born Walter Eduard Gramatté on January 8, 1897, in Berlin-Wedding to building manager Otto Gramatté and his wife Katharina, emerged as a poignant voice in German Expressionism despite a tragically brief career. The son of modest parents—described variably as a baker in some accounts—Gramatté volunteered for World War I in 1914 but was largely spared frontline duty due to chronic p...