Born in Beuthen, Germany, G.H. Rothe (1935-2007) was recognized as one of the most extraordinary artists of her time for her mastery of the arcane priting process called the mezzotint technique. A painstaking process, the technique involves roughing up the printing plate with a special tool in order to create thousands of tiny dots on the surface. Dating back to the 1600's, it was the first tonal method to be used and the result is a high level of quality and richness in the prints.

Rothe uncovered this obscure printing process through her studies in art history, human anatomy, goldsmithing and boundless drawing. Determined to revive this difficult technique, she experienced a breakthrough in 1972, in which she integrated transparency into the process. Her years of study and tireless practice supplied the perfect medium for her broad array of images. Ludwig von Siegen, the first mezzotint engraver, would have been impressed. He wrote in 1642, "There is no living artist who could guess how this engraving has been executed." Yet more impressive is G.H. Rothe's zeal; she completed over 70,000 mezzotints.