The Way Home (Der Nachhausweg) 1919
maxbeckmann
minneapolisinstituteofart
lithograph, print
light pencil work
ink drawing
germany
lithograph
pen sketch
pencil sketch
junji ito style
personal sketchbook
ink drawing experimentation
pen-ink sketch
sketchbook drawing
sketchbook art
"The Way Home (Der Nachhausweg)," a lithograph created in 1919 by German artist Max Beckmann, depicts a haunting scene of figures in a shadowy urban environment. The print's stark lines and dramatic composition convey a sense of alienation and unease, typical of Beckmann's style, which often explored the psychological effects of war and modernity. "The Way Home" is a compelling example of Beckmann's distinctive, expressionistic approach to printmaking, offering a glimpse into the artist's inner world and the turbulent times in which he lived.
Comments
The Way Home is the opening scene in Beckmann's acclaimed graphic cycle Die Holle (Hell), a dark and disturbing essay on the collapse of German society in the aftermath of the First World War (1914-18). Set in postwar Berlin, the allegorical scene features Beckmann as a man on his way home who suddenly encounters a horribly disfigured veteran under the light of a street lamp. Bearing the scars of war, the once proud soldier symbolizes the fate of Germany itself, broken and defeated. In the foreground, a menacing black dog warns of the dangers that lie ahead. Beckmann further enhances the tension of the scene by crowding his figures into a shallow pictorial space. Above all, The Way Home is a powerful denouncement of war.
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