Der Junge und der Alte c. 1930

"Der Junge und der Alte" (The Boy and the Old Man), created around 1930 by German artist Karl Wiener, depicts two figures, a young man and an older man, set against a dark background. The artist uses a somber palette of dark browns and grays, with minimal highlighting, creating a stark and intense atmosphere. The figures are depicted in a simplified, almost geometric style, suggesting a sense of psychological distance and contemplation. Wiener's work often explored themes of mortality and the passage of time, and this piece, with its juxtaposition of youth and age, can be interpreted as a reflection on these enduring subjects.