14940 (_Appearance is all just …_) 1931

This mixed-media work on paper, titled 'Appearance is all just…,' was made by German artist John Elsas. Its colored shapes and handwritten script encourage us to consider the relationship between appearance, fantasy, and nature. Elsas worked at a time when artists were challenging traditional notions of representation. It's important to note that this piece was created around 1931, in Germany, a period marked by significant social and political upheaval, not long before the rise of Nazism. The inscription suggests that appearance is merely fantasy and that fantasy is in fact, nature. Perhaps this was a strategy for Elsas to challenge the increasing restrictions on artistic expression during this era, and to question how the state sought to represent itself. As art historians, we might look at other works by Elsas, as well as the broader cultural context of Weimar Germany, including its avant-garde movements and political climate, to further understand this complex and intriguing work.