Walchensee im Winter (Walchensee in Winter) c. 1923

Editor: Lovis Corinth's "Walchensee in Winter," created around 1923, is a landscape print. It's stark. The dense, dark lines give a brooding and almost oppressive feeling. How do you interpret this work, considering its historical context? Curator: The oppressive feeling is key. Corinth made this in the wake of World War I, a period of profound disillusionment. Consider the societal trauma; Expressionism often grapples with anxieties around modernization, industrialization and of course the brutality of war. Editor: So the bleakness isn't just about the winter scene? Curator: Precisely. The landscape becomes a mirror reflecting a society struggling with loss and uncertainty. What is represented by the density of lines and harsh marks in the image? Editor: They could show chaos, lack of control, and overwhelming despair? Curator: Absolutely! Notice also how the perspective feels skewed and distorted. Expressionism sought to express inner emotional realities rather than objective visual truths. The simplification and abstraction are deliberate choices. How might these choices act as resistance? Editor: By challenging conventional beauty, maybe he is refusing to sugarcoat the truth about the suffering of the time. Curator: Exactly. It invites viewers to confront uncomfortable realities, pushing for empathy and, perhaps, social change. What do you think about expressionism's role in critiquing social structures of its time? Editor: This makes me view the Walchensee differently, beyond its aesthetic value, seeing it as a commentary on a society struggling to rebuild. Curator: That’s right. The context truly enriches the work.