Sturm 1925

Albin Egger-Lienz made Sturm with graphite on paper. It’s a drawing, so we have to think about the immediacy of mark-making, the artist’s hand at work. The material is humble: graphite, basically pencil lead, and paper. But look at the way Egger-Lienz has worked the surface. The graphite isn't just used to outline figures; instead, it evokes the weight and tension of these men as they move against a barely indicated ground. The artist is using the very softness of the graphite to suggest the opposite: the brute strength of the human body, the unforgiving pressure of war. Notice how the bodies are rendered with such detail in contrast to the background. The drawing has a social significance. The material is a kind of every-person medium, in contrast to the high-art associations of oil paint and canvas. This may speak to Egger-Lienz's interest in representing the struggles of ordinary people, particularly the experience of soldiers in conflict. Ultimately, understanding the artistic choices, materials, and making processes deepens our appreciation, reminding us that art is not just about the image but the story of its creation.