# Max Kaus artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/max-kaus/
Profile generated: 2026-05-09T19:23:33.352Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1891-03-11
- Death date: 1977-08-05
- Nationality: German
- Movements: German Expressionism (second generation)
- Common media: painting, lithography, etching, woodcut, graphic art

## About Max Kaus

Max Kaus (1891–1977) was a German painter, printmaker, and graphic artist associated with the second generation of German Expressionism. Born in Berlin-Moabit, Kaus trained and spent much of his career in his native city. He worked across a range of printmaking techniques—lithography, etching, and woodcut—alongside painting, and his graphic output is particularly well represented in institutional collections. Beyond his studio practice, Kaus held a prominent academic role as deputy director at the Academy of Visual Arts in West Berlin, where he taught and influenced a subsequent generation of artists. His work is held by major museums including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and his identity is well established across library authority files including the Getty ULAN, VIAF, and the Library of Congress. Collectors most often encounter Kaus through his prints and graphic works, which appear regularly in the German and international auction market.

## Common works and media

Collectors are most likely to encounter Max Kaus through his graphic prints—lithographs, etchings, and woodcuts featuring expressionist figural compositions, landscapes, and still-life subjects. His paintings in oil are less frequently seen at auction but do appear. Works on paper, including drawings and watercolors, also form part of his documented output. Many of his prints exist in editions, so impression number and condition are important for identification and valuation.

## Market and appraisal context

Max Kaus produced a substantial body of graphic work—lithographs, etchings, and woodcuts—that circulates widely at auction, alongside a smaller number of oil paintings. When appraising a Kaus work, the medium is a primary value determinant: paintings typically command higher prices than prints or works on paper. For prints, edition size, plate tone, paper quality, and condition are critical factors. Attribution should be verified against known catalogues, and provenance documentation strengthens appraisal confidence. Comparable auction results from major houses, particularly in Germany, provide the most reliable pricing benchmarks. No single published price index covers Kaus comprehensively, so appraisers should consult multiple auction databases.

## Appraisily data basis

This Appraisily artist page combines verified artist identity data from museum records and international library authority files with available auction records, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots. Biographical facts are sourced from the RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History, the Getty ULAN, the Library of Congress, VIAF, and the Museum of Modern Art. Market context draws on observed auction activity and standard appraisal methodology.

## Sources

- RKD – Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/43653
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83211250
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1912820
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/42113635/
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500115768
- The Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/artists/3026
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Kaus