Zelfportret Lovis Corinth 

Lovis Corinth made this self-portrait in Berlin using charcoal on paper in 1920. The piece is heavily worked. Dark strokes define the brim of his hat, a shadow crossing his face. Corinth was a leading figure in the German art scene during a period of profound social and political upheaval. Germany was on the cusp of the Weimar Republic, with all the social anxieties that came with it. The end of World War I and the social reforms in its aftermath created a sense of uncertainty, and with it, new subjects for art. Artists moved away from traditional depictions of beauty and heroism and started exploring themes of alienation, anxiety, and the psychological impact of war. In the 1920s, artists experimented with new forms of expression, like expressionism and new objectivity, in a changing relationship with the institutions of art. Corinth’s portrait can be examined within the socio-political history of Germany and its institutions during this period, using archives, journals, and critical studies. It reminds us that art doesn't exist in a vacuum, but is deeply entwined with the world around it.