Goethe's lifetime (1749-1832) was a period of extraordinary importance in the history of German printmaking. From a style which had been strongly derivative of French and Dutch prototypes, German printmakers evolved a distinctive approach of their own. Etching remained the principal vehicle of the period but the invention of lithography introduced another medium which was explored with great subtlety by German artists. Over 200 works by nearly 70 artists are described in this illustrated catalogue, showing the great richness and diversity of production and examining the way in which patronage and the print market operated at the time.