Vlegel 1923

Curator: Alright, let’s dive into this striking portrait by Erich Wichmann, dating back to 1923. It's entitled "Vlegel" and done in charcoal. Editor: Gosh, immediate impression—it's the quintessential moody teenager embodied as a spindly, disaffected stick figure! Is it supposed to be darkly humorous or just plain depressing? Curator: It's definitely meant to be a caricature, playing into the themes found in German Expressionism, where distortion is used to convey psychological states. "Vlegel," roughly translating to "rascal" or "brat," points to a rebellious attitude of post-war Germany. Editor: Yes, it screams rebellion but also, vulnerability! Those delicate, almost fragile charcoal lines barely containing a cloud of…what, hair or psychic debris? Makes me want to hand the kid a slice of cake. Or maybe run a mile, depending on my own mood! Curator: Exactly! Consider the context: Weimar Germany, reeling from war debts and social upheaval. The visual shorthand of line work becomes powerful; this embodies disillusionment with societal norms. You see this minimalist style depicting social critiques, often targeting the upper class. Editor: So it’s more than just a pouty face then. I get the societal weight behind it now. And it’s rendered so simply. Stripped of any pleasantries or romantic inclinations. So it’s actually hitting the nose…or lack of it if we think about it. Curator: Precisely! It uses minimalism and abstraction as commentary. This work exists within that artistic and political sphere, reflecting anxiety during this era. Editor: Which perhaps gives the ‘subject’ a sort of eerie timelessness. Someone struggling between fitting into this and striking it all down. Makes you question when and where the piece fits. Very moody, just a dash rebellious. Curator: Indeed. A lasting commentary on societal anxieties using minimal materials and skill to elicit an enduring sense of human discontent and resistance to prescribed standards. Editor: All while looking terribly put-upon and sulky doing so. This is why I like expressionism! It resonates.