A Pioneer of Modernity
Gottfried Graf was a German painter and woodcutter born in Mengen. After initially entering the postal service in 1897, he turned toward the arts in 1904. He studied at the Royal Württemberg Academy and Art School in Stuttgart, eventually completing his studies with a state examination as a drawing teacher. His artistic journey took him to Florence and Rome, followed by studies under professors Christian Landenberger, Adolf Hölzel, and Heinrich Altherr. In 1913, a journey to Southern France brought him into contact with Jacques Villon and Albert Gleizes, an encounter that led to an intensive engagement with the language of Cubism.
Graf became a pioneer of the modern woodcut and a significant figure in the avant-garde art scene of Southwest Germany. His diverse body of work includes:
Academic Career and Legacy
In 1921, Graf was appointed as a professor and the head of the woodcut school at the Württemberg Academy of Art. He was a founding member of the Üecht Group and played a role in the II. Herbstschau Neuer Kunst in Stuttgart. In 1927, he published the book Der neue Holzschnitt und das Problem der künstlerischen Gestaltung, which featured his own works alongside contributions from the woodcut school.
During the National Socialist dictatorship, many of his works were declared "degenerate art" and removed from museums. Following his dismissal from teaching in 1938, he died in Stuttgart. He is buried in an honor grave in Mengen, marked by a "Hinkelstein" featuring a bronze relief based on a woodcut by the artist himself.
