Fear and Hope 1914

Oskar Kokoschka’s 1914 lithograph, “Fear and Hope”, depicts a group of figures huddled together in a landscape. The figures, rendered in a gestural, expressive style, appear to be seeking refuge. The composition is dominated by the towering mountain range in the background, which serves as a symbol of both fear and hope. The work, which is now housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, embodies the uncertainty and anxiety of the early 20th century, a time marked by the outbreak of World War I. Kokoschka’s distinctive use of line and expressive form captures the emotional intensity of the moment, reflecting the anxieties and aspirations of his time.