Dresden Archive Unveils Josef Hegenbarth’s Sketchbooks in New‍ exhibition

DRESDEN, Germany ‍– The Josef Hegenbarth Archive in Dresden is showcasing a thorough collection of sketchbooks and individual drawings by the artist, offering a ⁢rare glimpse into his‍ creative process. The Dresden State Art Collections announced the exhibition, titled “Archive in your pocket,” is being⁣ held in Hegenbarth’s former residence and features his work alongside pieces⁤ by Ludwig ‍Richter, Gerhard Altenbourg,‍ and Max Uhlig – artists who shared his passion for drawing.

Josef Hegenbarth (1884-1962), a draughtsman, painter, and graphic artist, consistently carried a sketchbook to⁣ capture his observations. Over time,this practice resulted in thousands‍ of drawings across hundreds of pages,wich he frequently revisited. ⁤These sketchbooks provide valuable insight into ‍Hegenbarth’s artistic progress, revealing initial studies and sketches of heads, everyday scenes, and animals that⁣ served as the foundation for his larger works. In later years, Hegenbarth frequently enough disassembled these sketchbooks, reorganizing individual pages by motif.

Hegenbarth’s Sketches: Inspiration on paper

These pocket-sized ideas and impressions typically formed the basis of Hegenbarth’s artistic endeavors, functioning as both thought aids and preliminary notes for his large-scale pieces. The exhibition displays examples of these inspirations, including Hegenbarth’s renderings of a rhinoceros and “air-bathing women,” Richter’s depiction of llama feeding, Uhlig’s studies of heads in New York, and Altenbourg’s landscape sketches.

Hegenbarth, originally from bohemia, studied ⁣at the Dresden Art Academy under Oskar Zwintscher and Gotthard Kuehl. He resided in the house from ‍1921 until his death. His widow bequeathed the house, along with his estate, to the Kupferstich-Kabinett (Cabinet⁣ of Prints, Drawings and Photographs) with the stipulation that it be made accessible to the public.the artist’s estate, comprising over 13,700 artworks, along with his library and correspondence, is preserved at the Kupferstich-Kabinett.