Even before the dawn of photography, light and shade had long been vital constituents in art. The principle of light/dark contrasts is seen at its most abstract and precise in the silhouette with its razor-sharp separation of figure and ground - unforgiving yet fleetingly revealing of the essence of that figure. This publication reflects the reawakening of interest in silhouettes and cutouts, and traces the progress of this medium from the early 19th century up until the present day, placing it in the context of art-historical and philosophical responses to works by leading artists and photographers. Featured silhouettists include: Hans Christian Andersen, Christian Boltanski, Marcel Duchamp, Johann Wolfgang Goethe,Hannah Höch, Jean Hubert, known as Hubert- Voltaire, Jürgen Klauke, Johann Caspar Lavater, Hans Georg Lichtenberg, Adolph Menzel, Mario Merz, Julian Opie, Simon Periton, Pablo Picasso, Lotte Reiniger, Philipp Otto Runge, Henry Fox Talbot, James Turrell, Kara Walker, Andy Warhol Exhibition: Kunstbau Lenbachhaus, München 3.2.-6.5.2001