Günther Uecker - Signed, zinc relief print, - Exclusive proof 1969 - high-quality framed

Günther Uecker – Signed - Zinc Cliché - Exclusive Proof - 1969/1970

This powerful graphic work by Günther Uecker, a zinc plate relief print , comes from the rare portfolio series "Description of a Nail", published in 1970 by the Klaus Lüpke Gallery in Frankfurt am Main.

This is a rare proof: the work is signed by Uecker in pencil at the bottom right, but is not numbered – an indication that this copy was created outside the official edition and was only distributed to a small circle.

Provenance: Bernaerts Auctioneers, Belgium

The work is framed in a high-quality frame, suspended on canvas, in an exclusive wooden frame handcrafted in the Netherlands. The glazing is made of PLEXIGLAS Optical HC, which is scratch-resistant and UV-protective. This high-quality Plexiglas ensures exceptional color depth, clear visibility, and brilliant light transmission, while being significantly lighter than conventional glass.
Frame dimensions approx. 52 x 52 cm

"Description of a Nail" presents a radical experiment in which Uecker transformed macrophotographs of nail structures into a new visual language – using a special process: Agfacolor isodensites were hand-etched into zinc and then printed using a letterpress process on heavy wove paper. The result is a graphically intense and almost sculptural image in which material and impression merge into a single entity.

The series represents a special chapter in Uecker's graphic oeuvre. While he became known primarily for his physical installations and nail reliefs, this series demonstrates the powerful visual impact his ideas also have in the medium of printmaking. The technique used—rare, elaborate, and technically complex—underscores Uecker's striving for depth and precision, even on paper.

Günther Uecker (1930–2024) was one of the most influential German artists of the postwar period and co-founder of the ZERO movement. His work revolves around materiality, rhythm, and repetition. Nails—widely recognized as his trademark—take on symbolic significance in Uecker's work, functioning as carriers of energy, structure, and spirituality. In this specific graphic work, the nail appears not in literal form, but abstracted into a visual structure reminiscent of a body imprint or a landscape formation—powerful, tactile, and poetic.

Condition
The work is in good condition.
The photos are an integral part of the condition description.
The authenticity of this work is fully guaranteed. A certificate of authenticity can be sent by email upon request.

Shipment
Carefully and securely packaged (costs included in shipping costs)
Only insured shipping with tracking (Track & Trace)