Schwarze und weisse Kugel (11. Jahresblatt). 1940.
Woodcut.
Ebner/Gabelmann 866 H I (of II). Dube H 372 I (of II). Signed and inscribed with a personal dedication. Inscribed "Für 1941" in printing block. On wove paper. 15 x 13 cm (5.9 x 5.1 in). Sheet: 19,2 x 22 cm (7,6 x 8,7 in).
As of 1930 Erich Heckel sent his so-called annual sheets to a circle of friends, collectors and patrons as New Year greetings. The motifs often picked up current events and topics the artist was interested in. "In consideration of their small number and their striking motifs, it is little surprising that the annual sheets later became popular collector's items." (Quoted from: H. Geissler, Die Jahresblätter, Hemmenhofen 2011, p. 45).
• Annual sheet for 1941.
• The woodcut presumably shows Bernhard von Bothmer, who emigrated to the USA in 1938 where he became curator of the Egyptian Department at the Brooklyn Museum in 1963.

PROVENANCE: Hermann Gerlinger Collection, Würzburg (with the collector's stamp, Lugt 6032).

EXHIBITION: Schleswig-Holsteinisches Landesmuseum, Schloss Gottorf, Schleswig (permanent loan from the Hermann Gerlinger Collection, 1995-2001).
Kunstmuseum Moritzburg, Halle an der Saale (permanent loan from the Hermann Gerlinger Collection, 2001-2017).
Buchheim Museum, Bernried (permanent loan from the Hermann Gerlinger Collection, 2017-2022).

LITERATURE: Heinz Spielmann (ed.), Die Maler der Brücke. Sammlung Hermann Gerlinger, Stuttgart 1995, p. 334, SHG no. 527 (with illu.).
Hermann Gerlinger, Katja Schneider (eds.), Die Maler der Brücke. Inventory catalog Sammlung Hermann Gerlinger, Halle (Saale) 2005, p. 246, SHG no. 551 (with illu.).
Heiner Geissler, Die Jahresblätter, in: R. Ebner/A. Gabelmann, Erich Heckel Werkverzeichnis der Druckgraphik, Texte Materialien Bildindex, Hemmenhofen 2021, vol. III, p. 50. (illu. of a different copy).

In very good condition. With a vertical, snoothed folding mark in left and right of the image.