Preparatory Drawing for a Print Series on the History of Germany (Die Geschichte des deutschen Volkes in fünfzehn Bildern)

Art Historical Context

Created around 1851–1853, this preparatory drawing by Carl Heinrich Hermann served as a detailed blueprint for his ambitious print series *Die Geschichte des deutschen Volkes in fünfzehn Bildern ("The History of the German People Fifteen Images"). Executed in pen and black on a generous scale—measuring 20½ × 29⅛ inches (52 × 74 cm)—it exemplifies the meticulous planning required for large-scale printmaking projects of the era. Hermann's lines and shading capture key historical scenes, laying the groundwork for reproductive prints that would disseminate German heritage to a wider audience. In the turbulent mid-19th century, amid growing nationalist fervor in the fragmented German states, works like this reflected a cultural drive to forge a unified national identity through visual storytelling. Hermann's series chronicled pivotal moments in German history, aligning with the Romantic historicism popular among artists who romanticized the nation's past to inspire unity—foreshadowing the 1871 unification under Bismarck. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Drawings and Prints (acquired via the Harry G. Sperling Fund in 2014), this drawing highlights the artistry of preparatory sketches: their economical yet expressive medium allowed for bold compositions that translated effectively into prints, bridging fine art and popular dissemination. A window into 19th-century German visual culture, it invites us to ponder how ink on paper shaped collective memory.

About the Artist

Carl Heinrich Hermann · 1802–1880

German, Dresden 1802–1880 Berlin