For Kate, 1947 is a artwork by the German artist Kurt Schwitters created in 1947 in a Dada style. It is part of the collection of the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven and demonstrates a significant shift in Schwitters’ early artistic practice from primarily conservative figurative painting to abstract collage. The piece consists of broken and discarded materials such as parts of a bus ticket, parts of an envelope, fragments of advertisements and small pieces paper glued onto card another larger piece of paper.
The artwork showcases how Schwitters adapted Dada ideas in art making to create his masterpieces from salvaged materials. At the same time, it also reflects a major change in his work from primarly painting to collage. With these two elements together, For Kate, 1947 highlights Schwitters early artistic expression that is complex yet refined.
Besides For Kate, 1947 which was created when Schwitters was sixty-two years old, there were more artworks by him that showcased salvaged materials as well. One example is Bild 1926, 12. Kleines Seemannsheim which was created when he was just thirty-five years old. This particular artwork also included bits and pieces that have been assembled together to form an interesting composition inspired by Schwitter’s own experience being exiled during World War I.
Overall it could be said that Kurt Schwitter successfully adapted Dadaism with his usage of salvaged materials to produce evocative works such as For Kate, 1947 and Bild 1926, 12. Kleines Seemannsheim. These two masterpieces serve as important examples on how he has evolved over time to incorporate new styles and methods in his artwork making throughout the years leading up until his death in 1948
