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Mechtilde Lichnowsky. Page from the Portfolio Menschenköpfe [Human Heads], 1916

Leopold Museum,
Vienna
Lithograph on paper
42×30.3 cm

Artists

  • Oskar Kokoschka

    (Pöchlarn 1886–1980 Montreux)

  • Verlag der Sturm / Berlin
Unfortunately not on display at the moment
In 1916, Herwarth Walden’s (1878−1941) publishing company Der Sturm issued the portfolio Menschenköpfe [Human Heads], containing 15 etchings based on drawings by Oskar Kokoschka, some of which had also been reproduced in Walden’s magazine of the same name. The portraits show the protagonists of Modernism as well as loyal companions of the artist.
Mechtilde Lichnowsky (1879–1958) came from a noble family and was born Countess Mechtilde Christiane Marie von und zu Arco-Zinneberg in Schöneburg in Germany. Lichnowsky met important writers of her time during her trips and extended stays abroad. She finally decided to pursue a literary career herself. In 1916, Kokoschka portrayed the countess on canvas and on paper. The portrait that preceded the lithograph for the portfolio is thought to be the first documented graphic portrait created by Kokoschka after his return from serving on the front of World War I. A comparison of the various versions of the likeness reveals Kokoschka’s ability to adapt to a variety of media.

AS, 2023

Object data

Artist/author
  • Oskar Kokoschka
  • Verlag der Sturm / Berlin
Title
Mechtilde Lichnowsky. Page from the Portfolio Menschenköpfe [Human Heads]
Date
1916
Art movement
Expressionism
Category
Graphic work
Material​/technique
Lithograph on paper
Dimensions
42×30.3 cm
Credit line
Leopold Museum, Vienna, Inv. 6578 14
Inventory access
Accession 2021
Selection of Reference works
  • Wien 1900. Aufbruch in die Moderne, hrsg. von Hans-Peter Wipplinger, Wien 2019 (Ausst.-Kat. Leopold Museum, Wien, ab 15.03.2019).
  • Oskar Kokoschka. Expressionist, Migrant, Europäer, hrsg. von Cathérine Hug/Heike Eipeldauer, Heidelberg 2018 (Ausst.-Kat. Kunsthaus Zürich, 14.12.2018–10.03.2019; Leopold Museum, Wien, 06.04.2019–08.07.2019).
  • Kokoschka. Das Ich im Brennpunkt, hrsg. von Tobias G. Natter/Franz Smola, Wien 2013 (Ausst. Kat. Leopold Museum, Wien, 04.10.2013–27.01.2014).
  • Die nackte Wahrheit. Klimt, Schiele, Kokoschka und andere Skandale, hrsg. von Tobias G. Natter/Max Hollein, München 2005 (Ausst.-Kat. Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt, 28.01.2005-24.01.2005; Leopold Museum, Wien, 31.05.2005-22.08.2005).
Keywords
woman/girlportraitDer Sturmheadportrait of a writer

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Provenance

Provenance research
Leopold Museum i

Auktion: 07.05.2021, Dorotheum Wien, Druckgrafik und Editionen, Los Nr. 33; (1)
Leopold Museum-Privatsiftung, Wien (seit 2021)

  1. Archiv des Leopold Museums, Rechnung vom 07.05.2021

For provenance related information, please contact us.

Search in collection

woman/girlportraitDer Sturmheadportrait of a writer

2023/2024 Partial funding for digitization by the Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport „Kulturerbe digital“ as part of NextGenerationEU.