Ralf Bergner – The Threepenny Opera

Ralf Bergner – The Threepenny Opera – Hand-signed etching and aquatint from 1985

This original etching and aquatint by Ralf Bergner, dating from 1985, is entitled ‘The Threepenny Opera’ and forms part of a series comprising a total of ten prints. The work combines the German artist’s characteristic visual language with the literary and socially critical world of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s famous Threepenny Opera.

The print was produced using an elaborate combination of etching and aquatint and printed from a total of seven printing plates. This multi-stage printing process allows for a nuanced composition with fine lines, gradated tones and multi-layered image structures. The combination of various intaglio techniques lends the print a distinctive graphic depth and underscores the artistic ambition of the work.

With the title ‘The Threepenny Opera’, Bergner refers to one of the best-known works of modern musical theatre. Bertolt Brecht’s stage play, which premiered in 1928 with music by Kurt Weill, combines social criticism, satire and an unmistakable portrayal of human characters. Engaging with this literary source material provides a fascinating starting point for Bergner’s original graphic interpretation.

The print was created in 1985 as part of a ten-part print series and is one of an edition of 50 copies. The work is hand-signed and documents Bergner’s engagement with narrative and literary themes within his printmaking practice. According to available information, the print is also held in major collections.

Measuring approximately 40 × 48 cm, the work has an appealing format that shows the graphic details to their best advantage. The work is in good second-hand condition and is of interest both to collectors of contemporary prints and to enthusiasts of *The Threepenny Opera* and 20th-century German art.

Product details

• Artist: Ralf Bergner
• Title: The Threepenny Opera
• Object type: Original print / Artist’s print
• Year of creation: 1985
• Technique: Etching and aquatint
• Printing process: Intaglio printing from seven plates
• Series: Part of a series of ten works
• Edition: 50 copies
• Signature: Hand-signed
• Material: Paper
• Dimensions (H × W × D): approx. 40 × 48 × 1 cm
• Period: Art of the 1980s
• Motif: Artistic interpretation of *The Threepenny Opera*
• Condition: Good – may show signs of wear and tear due to age and use
• Contents: One hand-signed etching/aquatint
• Special features: Elaborate print made from seven plates, limited edition of 50 copies and part of a ten-part print series
• Collectors’ categories: German prints, etching, aquatint and 20th-century art

About Ralf Bergner and *The Threepenny Opera*

Ralf Bergner is a German artist whose graphic work is characterised, amongst other things, by his engagement with literary material and narrative visual motifs. Etching and aquatint offer him the opportunity to combine delicate drawn structures with nuanced surfaces and tonal values. Multi-plate printing processes in particular open up special creative possibilities.

Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s *The Threepenny Opera* premiered in Berlin in 1928 and is regarded as one of the most significant works of political and socially critical musical theatre. The story of Mackie Messer and the London underworld combines satirical exaggeration with a critical examination of social conditions. To this day, the work continues to inspire artists across various disciplines.

With his series of prints created in 1985, Bergner takes up this significant subject matter and translates it into the expressive possibilities of printmaking. The combination of etching, aquatint and elaborate multi-plate printing makes this print an interesting example of artistic printmaking from the 1980s.