Max Pechstein, Fisherman, 1921 by Atelier Liesjes

A powerful, frontal close-up portrait of a fisherman in woodcut style: an older man wearing a wide-brimmed cap (or skipper's cap) with stripes, a long, full beard and moustache, large staring eyes, prominent nose and a tight mouth. The face is highly stylised and mask-like, with thick, angular contours and heavy black areas emphasising the features. In the background on the right is a subtle ship or sail motif (narrow triangular shapes). High contrast black on white, rough cut lines and an intense, direct expression; signed 'H. Pechstein 1921' (or variant) and 'HMP'.
Meaning This work from 1921 belongs to Pechstein's series "Fischerköpfe" (fishermen's heads), created during his stays on the Baltic Sea (Nidden/Leba). The fisherman symbolises raw, authentic humanity, wisdom and the hard struggle of coastal life – a recurring motif of primitive vitality and folk power after the First World War. The angular, mask-like face shows influences of African/Oceanic art and Brücke primitivism, with an expression of stoicism and inner depth. In the Weimar period, it celebrates the simplicity of ordinary people as a counterbalance to modern alienation. Technique
Woodcut: classic graphic technique using carved woodblocks for deep black areas and white lines. Rough, expressive cuts provide texture and contrast, with minimal detail and maximum emotional impact – characteristic of Pechstein's graphic work in 1921, inspired by the Brücke tradition of direct, raw expression.

Hermann Max Pechstein (Zwickau, 31 December 1881 – Berlin, 29 June 1955) was a painter from Germany. Pechstein is considered an important representative of Expressionism. In 1918, after the First World War, Pechstein co-founded the Arbeitsrat für Kunst (Workers' Council for Art) and in 1922 he became a member of the Prussian Academy of Arts.