Dürnstein at the Donau 

Ernst Lincker made this drawing of Dürnstein at the Donau in Austria. It is hard to say when exactly it was produced since the date is not known. But from what we know of the artist it was most likely to be around the 1920’s-1930’s. Lincker uses charcoal to emphasize the looming towers of the church and castle, structures that would have dominated life in this small Austrian town. A graveyard occupies the foreground, perhaps a reminder of the ever present nature of death in the interwar years, and the cultural obsession with it. Though clearly topographical in its intent, the sketch emphasizes the way social life is structured by historical institutions. The ruin of the castle overlooking the town reminds us of the deep and often turbulent history of Austria itself. Understanding art like this requires that we look into the local and national histories that shaped the artist's vision and the culture they inhabited.