This study drafts a history of German dramas dealing with artists. The thread running through the study is that of the 'artist on the stage' which is relevant for the history both of the drama and the theatre. Account is taken of both historic and fictitious artists. The study encompasses the period from the second half of the 18th century up to the present. Works examined include texts by Goethe, Tieck, Grillparzer, Immermann, Laube, Hebbel, Hofmannsthal, Hauptmann, Durrenmatt, Weiss, Jandl, Bernhard et al.