The Moment of Birth 1902

Alfred Kubin, an Austrian artist who worked during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, made this pen, ink, and wash drawing titled "The Moment of Birth." Kubin lived through a period of immense social and political upheaval. His art delves into the darker aspects of the human psyche and the anxieties of the modern era. He suffered from depression and often had nightmares, this led to a preoccupation with themes of death, the grotesque, and the irrational. Here, a baby leaps away from a monstrous crab-like figure with a skull for a body, while another infant floats dead in the water. Birth, which is usually considered to be a joyous occasion, is rendered here as a moment of horror and alienation. The image evokes the trauma of birth, and the precarity of life. Kubin’s symbolist approach to form reflects a world where traditional values have collapsed. Kubin has created a profoundly disturbing image that captures the anxieties of a world grappling with rapid change and uncertainty. The drawing is a powerful reminder of the fragility of life, and the ever-present shadow of death.