"That's Rebellion" (Book V: Pro and Contra, facing p.182) 1949

Curator: Let’s spend a moment here with Fritz Eichenberg’s 1949 print, “‘That’s Rebellion’ (Book V: Pro and Contra, facing p.182).” The original work is a drawing, most likely done in pencil. What's your immediate reaction? Editor: Raw and agonizing. The hunched figure at the base of the cross…they are all grief, aren't they? The starkness of the pencil just amplifies the emotional weight, and the sky—it’s not just stormy; it feels like judgment itself. Curator: The image does pack a punch. Eichenberg consistently explored themes of social justice and human suffering throughout his career, often using religious iconography to critique power structures. What do you see in the choice of crucifixion imagery? Editor: The cross has become an emblem of unjust suffering and defiance, not only Christian. In this rendition, it’s heartbreaking to witness a young person instead of the traditional figure – suggesting how the fight for justice costs the lives of the future generations. It flips the narrative; what price is a revolt really worth? And what future generations pay the price? Curator: Exactly! And consider the figure at the base; so swallowed up by what can be only sorrow. The traditional figure of the grieving Virgin Mary gets turned on its head too; here, there is no solace from the cross. Only mourning. Editor: Right! And the smaller, almost incidental crosses in the background suggest an endless procession of suffering, a never-ending cycle. It makes me think of how symbols are often twisted; something initially conceived as hope becoming synonymous with subjugation. Curator: Do you think, as an iconographer, the symbol’s potential for inspiring hope can overcome such depictions of devastation, such a brutal condemnation? Editor: It's a difficult question, isn't it? Hope requires action, maybe the seeds of new uprising can come from what Eichenberg shows in such detail here. And maybe it requires acknowledging how even well-intentioned movements may harm the defenseless in the way. Curator: A necessary reckoning. Thinking about it now, perhaps this artwork functions best as a catalyst. It doesn’t offer easy answers, but rather provokes essential, uneasy questions about resistance, sacrifice, and the future. Editor: Yes. The questions linger and leave you no chance of turning away. The price of “rebellion” etched in those pencil lines, is really not just about the figures on the artwork.