Der Snob c. 1928

Karl Wiener made this painting called ‘Der Snob’ sometime in the first half of the twentieth century, and it looks like he used watercolor, maybe with some gouache or tempera thrown in. The whole scene is rendered in these saturated, clashing hues, all laid down with loose, fluid marks. You can really sense the hand of the artist here. The snob himself, lounging in his chair, is painted in bright blues and oranges, which is a striking choice that gives him a kind of theatrical presence. Look at that single brushstroke highlighting the bridge of his nose. The artist isn't trying to hide the artifice, but embraces it. You can see these little touches throughout, like in the chaotic arrangement of the books, bottles and pictures that surround him. It all feels very immediate. Wiener reminds me a little of artists like George Grosz, with his satirical eye, or maybe Beckmann, with his interest in psychological intensity. Like them, Wiener isn’t afraid to embrace ambiguity, and to offer a glimpse into the complex, contradictory nature of human experience.