‘Gaswerk’ im Mondlicht c. 1935

Karl Wiener made this moody painting of a gas plant under moonlight with oil on canvas. The brushwork is really apparent and kind of slubby. You can almost feel him pushing the paint around. The colors are muted and dark, mostly blues and grays, which creates this eerie, almost dreamlike vibe. Then you see the glowing moon, smack dab in the center. It's like a beacon or a spotlight. Look at the way Wiener captured the smoke billowing from the plant. It's thick and textured, like he layered the paint to give it dimension. It gives the scene a sense of drama and movement. There's something about the subject matter and the way it's painted that reminds me of some of Edvard Munch's darker landscapes. You know, that sense of unease and mystery? It's like Wiener is inviting you to ponder the relationship between industry and nature, and maybe question the price of progress.