Reinecke, Mit Ketten Gefesselt, Erwartet Seine Hinrichtung 1920

Lovis Corinth made this print called, Reinecke, Mit Ketten Gefesselt, Erwartet Seine Hinrichtung, and right away, you're in the middle of the action, a scene of near-carnage rendered with sketchy, lively strokes. Corinth's use of lithography feels immediate; it's like he's thinking aloud with the stone. The thin, washy tones and the rawness of the marks create a sense of urgency, a feeling like the whole scene could collapse at any moment. Look closely, and you see how he uses black to define the figures. The black gives definition to the stairs the captive fox stands upon, heightening the dramatic tension. Corinth was a master of psychological depth. The prints of Munch spring to mind, similarly raw and emotive, revealing the inner turmoil of the subjects. Both artists leave us with more questions than answers, embracing the beautiful, messy ambiguity of existence.