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King Lear

King Lear, ca. 1950, Etching
Fritz Eichenberg (German-American, 1901 – 1990)
#2013.0001.0509

After immigrating to New York in 1933 to escape mounting Nazi tensions, Fritz Eichenberg received many commissions to illustrate new editions of classic literature. He was also the chairman of the department of graphic arts and illustration at Pratt Institute where he founded the Pratt Center for Contemporary Printmaking. In his prolific career as a book illustrator he visually interpreted many different styles of writing, but excelled in material with elements of spiritual and emotional conflict, fantasy, or social satire. In this print, Eichenberg represents the Shakespearean tragedy King Lear