Going Under (from the series A Life) 1884

"Going Under," part of the series "A Life," was created by Max Klinger, a German artist who died in 1920. Klinger was part of the Symbolist movement, which embraced subjective experience and the power of dreams. This print encapsulates those themes in a powerful vision of a head struggling in the water beneath a stormy sky. "A Life" explores psychological states; it evokes a sense of existential struggle that resonates with turn-of-the-century anxieties. Klinger’s work delves into the darker aspects of human experience, engaging with themes of eroticism, social alienation, and psychological distress. The artist uses the setting of the sea to express overwhelming emotions, where the individual is at the mercy of uncontrollable forces. The print also evokes powerful emotions within us as we view the individual's struggle. It is a reflection of society where we are often alone in our most difficult moments.