Goethe's drawings: a unique look into the world of the poet

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The Klassik Foundation Weimar has big plans for the fascinating drawings by the important poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. From next year, an extensive research project will be launched, which is only devoted to Goethe's drawings. The aim of the foundation is to take a closer look at this remarkable inventory, which is unique in the global context and to make it more accessible to the public and science.

Goethe, who lived from 1749 to 1832, was not only an outstanding writer, but also a talented draftsman. His work includes a variety of sketches that represent landscapes, anatomical studies and beyond. The enormous value of their drawings is not only artistic, but also as a historical testimony of its time and its creative work.

A unique inventory of drawings

The foundation describes the drawings of Goethe as the "Heart Chamber of Graphic Collections Weimar". Ulrike Lorenz, the President of the Foundation, and Annette Ludwig, the director of the foundation museums, emphasize the universal value of these works. With around 2,500 drawings in the foundation's collection, around 300 other museums and collections can be found outside of Weimar. These exhibits provide exciting insights into Goethe's thinking and his artistic perception.

"Goethe explorated the world, its world," explains Sebastian Giesen, Managing Director of Hermann Reemtsma Foundation, which together with the Ernst von Siemens Kunststiftung supports the project. The research project will be carried out by 2027 under the direction of Christoph Orth, the curator of the graphic collections with the focus on the Goethe period.

Goethe's passion for drawing accompanied him his whole life. He not only created sketches of clouds and rocks, but also illustrated poems and copied significant works of art. The last time his drawings were scientifically processed over 50 years ago, which makes the current research approach all the more relevant. The Weimar classic Foundation is full of hope that the re -evaluation and digitization of these works not only contributes to research, but also reaches a broader public.

With this step, the Klassik Foundation Weimar sets an important accent in art and literary studies. The project aims not only to research the artistic dimension of Goethe's work, but also to deepen the understanding of the connection between its drawing and writer. The public will have the opportunity to take part in this exciting journey, while at the same time valuable knowledge is recorded for future generations.