Grave Digger Medal (Kienast 273) 1920

This bronze medal, Grave Digger Medal, was created by Karl Goetz sometime between 1875 and 1950. Look at the contorted figure digging into the earth, his face a mask of exhaustion or maybe even madness. I imagine Goetz hunched over his workbench, meticulously carving each line and curve, trying to capture the weight of despair and the absurdity of war. The texture of the bronze gives the whole scene a kind of gritty realism, like you could reach out and feel the rough earth clinging to the gravedigger’s shovel. And that skull he’s unearthed? It’s not just a symbol of death, but a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict. You can almost hear Goetz muttering to himself, wrestling with the horror of what he was witnessing, and trying to make sense of it all through his art. It's like he’s saying, "Here, look at this. Really look at it, and don't forget." Just like Goya or Dix, Goetz is reminding us that artists bear witness.