Cassirer, Paul

Cassirer, Paul (1871–1926). German art dealer and publisher. He studied art history at Munich University, then moved to Berlin, where he played an important role in promoting contemporary art, both as a dealer and a publisher. In 1908 he founded the Verlag Paul Cassirer, which published belles-lettres, including Expressionist drama, and in 1910 he established the Pan-Presse, through which he encouraged artists to take up printmaking. These included Barlach, who illustrated his own plays with lithographs, and Chagall, who made his first etchings in 1922 as illustrations to his autobiography. Because of difficulties in trying to translate his quirky literary style into German, the text was not published, but the illustrations were issued in 1923 as a portfolio entitled Mein Leben. Chagall worked under the tutelage of Hermann Struck (1876–1944), the author of a standard book on etching technique: Die Kunst des Radierens (1908). Cassirer was a friend of Paul Durand-Ruel and also promoted the work of the French Impressionists. His gallery and publishing firm continued after his death (he committed suicide) until they were closed by the Nazis in 1933. His cousin Bruno Cassirer (1872–1941) was also a dealer and publisher.