Christian Schad (1894-1982) - Zwei Frauen

Christian Schad (1894-1982), Two Women, 1915.

Woodcut on firm velin paper, 17.2 x 12 cm on 58.5 x 41.5 cm, titled, numbered (e.a.), signed and dated.

Literature: Richter 10

Provenance: Private collection Berlin, from the estate of Christian Schad’s widow.

Condition: Very good condition. Photos are part of the condition description.

The woodcut "Tabarin" by Christian Schad was created in 1917 during his early, Expressionism- and Dada-influenced productive phase. The title refers to Tabarin, the legendary French carnivalist and buffoon of the 17th century, who is regarded as a symbol of theater, masquerade and social outsider status. With its bold black-and-white contrasts and expressive formal language, Schad condenses this figure into an allegory of staging, identity, and the break with bourgeois conventions. The rare woodcut thus foreshadows central themes that would later occupy the artist in his work for the Neue Sachlichkeit.

Biography
He was a German painter and graphic artist, known as a major representative of the Neue Sachlichkeit. He studied in Munich, lived in Switzerland and Paris before settling in Berlin. His works are characterized by a precise, almost photorealistic painting style, with which he critically portrayed the society of the 1920s. He also became famous for his experimental "Schadographies" – early forms of photogram technique. Schad’s art continues to influence modern portrait painting to this day.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Christian Schad again turned to printmaking, especially linocuts. During this period he lived several times in Italy, among others in Venice, where he drew inspiration from classical art and architecture. His linocuts from this phase often depict mythological and religious motifs and reflect an intense engagement with traditional printing techniques. These works mark a late but significant expansion of his artistic activity.