Trabrennen XIII 

Max Slevogt made this striking image of a horse race, Trabrennen XIII, with ink on paper. The linear arrangement and delicate quality of the ink create a sense of fleeting movement. The composition is structured into three horizontal bands, each contributing to the overall narrative. At the top, a distant horizon suggests depth, leading the eye towards the central band where horses and riders surge forward in dynamic disarray. Below, a dense crowd is captured through a flurry of strokes, conveying energy. Slevogt's expressive mark-making animates the scene, destabilizing any clear distinction between figure and ground. There's a tension between representation and abstraction. The scene teeters on the edge of recognizability. This tension mirrors the broader anxieties of the era, where traditional forms were being questioned, and new modes of perception were emerging. The image functions not merely as a depiction of a horse race but as a reflection on the nature of perception itself.