Der Fahnenträger (The Standard Bearer) 1920

Lovis Corinth created this etching titled, *The Standard Bearer*. This image hints at the cultural complexities of early 20th-century Germany. Corinth's choice of subject connects to a long tradition of military portraiture, but the rough, unfinished quality of the print gives the image a modern edge. Was Corinth questioning the military values of his time? Or perhaps idealizing Germany's past? During this period, German society was rapidly industrializing and modernizing, and the old aristocratic order was under threat from the rising tide of socialism. Cultural institutions like museums and art academies played a role in shaping national identity and promoting certain values. Artists like Corinth were caught in the middle, trying to find their place in a rapidly changing world. Art historians can look at exhibition records, reviews, and other period documents to understand how these tensions played out in the art world. The meaning of any artwork is contingent on the social and institutional context in which it was made.