The Art of Monotype

One key area of the Städtische Galerie Wolfsburg’s collection is graphic art. Many of the works in the collection originated in the printing workshop at Wolfsburg Castle, thus constituting a ­unique feature of the museum. With the exhibition project from April to August 2022, »Surprise. The Art of the Monotype«, the emphasis was on the monotype, and it is now this book with works by international artists that presents the medium in its various facets. The monotype is an exciting ­fusion of painting, drawing and graphic art. First used around 1640, the process experienced an unprecedented triumphal boom ­during the nineteenth century; it was the ­Impressionists, in particular, who exploited the potential of this technique, oscillating between drawing and printing, in a masterful manner. The technique encourages the rapid realization of an image and effectively translates the artistic handwriting into a printed image. The book presents monotypes by numerous artists, includ­ing works by important representatives of modernism such as John Cage and Edgar Degas, and works by contemporary artists including Herbert Brandl, Shara Hughes, Mia Chaplin, Günther Förg, Gerhard Richter, and many others.