Die Würfelsäule 1942

Karl Wiener made this pencil drawing, Die Würfelsäule or The Column of Cubes, in 1942. Wiener's work often reveals an attempt to come to terms with the cultural, political, and personal events of his lifetime. Here, a precarious stack of cubes rises towards a star, while moons and planets float in the background. During the 1940s, Germany was in the midst of the Second World War. The column of cubes could be interpreted as a metaphor for the instability of life during the war. The star, moons, and planets evoke a longing for escape from earthly struggles. But there is a disquieting mood to the drawing as well; the tower seems in danger of collapsing at any moment. Although Wiener survived internment in several concentration camps, he died only a few years after the war ended. Perhaps this drawing holds clues to how he processed the trauma he experienced during the war. The overall composition evokes a feeling of fragility, of longing, and perhaps even a sense of impending doom.