Heiwerk 1892 - 1928

Johannes Löhr made this etching, Heiwerk, with ink on paper. The sepia tones give the piece a dreamy, almost nostalgic feel, like looking through an old photo album. Löhr's mark-making feels exploratory, each line a discovery, a process laid bare. There’s a sense of searching, not just depicting. I keep coming back to the lower left corner, where a collection of equipment is drawn with such delicate lines. It makes me think about what we choose to focus on, what we deem worthy of our attention. The lines there are so delicate, almost tentative, like the artist is feeling their way through the scene. It’s not about perfection, but about a feeling, an impression. Löhr's contemporary, Otto Dix, also used etching to capture the rapidly changing urban landscape of Germany, though with a much more biting, satirical edge. Where Dix is confrontational, Löhr is contemplative, more interested in the quiet moments of transformation.