Striding Man 1914

Editor: Here we have Wilhelm Lehmbruck’s “Striding Man,” an etching made in 1914. I’m struck by how vulnerable yet resolute the figure seems. What symbols or stories do you see embedded within this image? Curator: I see a figure burdened by the anxieties of a pre-war world. Notice how the lines, while delicate, almost vibrate with tension, suggesting the fragility of peace and the inevitability of conflict. Consider also how the nude form itself became a potent symbol in early 20th-century art, representing a return to classical ideals even as society hurtled towards modernity and destruction. What emotional response do you have to that gaze? Editor: His gaze definitely holds my attention, confronting me, while everything about his stance makes me feel he is deep in thought. So, is it that feeling of pre-war anxiety that influenced the prevalence of the male nude at the time? Curator: It's not simply about anxiety, but about a profound questioning of identity and purpose. Artists grappled with what it meant to be human in a world increasingly dominated by machines and impersonal forces. The male nude, often depicted heroically in the past, here seems stripped bare, vulnerable, even alienated. Is that perhaps what resonates with you? The uncertainty of what lies ahead? Editor: Yes, that feeling of uncertainty is exactly it. The setting also looks unfinished and uncertain. This print, with its raw emotion and unresolved lines, makes me think about history differently. Thanks for the perspective! Curator: And you've given me a fresh appreciation for the artwork’s direct emotional power, unfiltered by layers of historical interpretation. It's in these connections that art truly lives.