Der Gegenwart gewidmet! c. 1923

Karl Wiener’s *Der Gegenwart gewidmet!* (Dedicated to the Present) is a satirical drawing from 1923 that depicts a cityscape dominated by institutions like prisons, barracks, and schools. The buildings are rendered in a simplified, almost childlike style, a visual metaphor for the state’s control over individual lives. The German flag flying atop a prison building, labeled “Zuchthaus” (penitentiary) underscores the artist's critique of the social and political realities of post-World War I Germany. This drawing exemplifies the critical and satirical nature of Wiener's work, which often used social commentary and symbolism to address the political and economic challenges of his time.