Burned-out Building in Holstein 1886

Curator: Lovis Corinth, born in 1858, painted this watercolor, "Burned-out Building in Holstein" sometime during his career. The artwork resides at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The ruin itself is a somber subject, and the artist's loose brushstrokes only amplify that feeling of desolation. Curator: The process of watercolor application is important here. Look how Corinth allows the white of the paper to show through, creating a sense of light and airiness, despite the devastation. The material choices speak to immediacy. Editor: But the composition directs our eyes in such a way that the negative space is a critical element. The building appears to be in a state of entropy, teetering. Curator: We can consider the impact of urbanization and industrialization on rural communities in Germany at the time. The remnants of labor and the means of shelter are laid bare. Editor: True, but the raw emotion is also conveyed through Corinth's distortion of form and the stark contrast between light and shadow. It is the tension itself that conveys the underlying feeling of despair. Curator: Ultimately, the work serves as a reminder of the fragility of human endeavors, told through the life cycle of the building materials. Editor: Yes, and the universality of loss and decay, visually articulated through color, line, and form, is so powerful.