Winter 1941

Karl Wiener made this pencil drawing, Winter, in 1941. It's like he's built up the image through lots of tiny, anxious marks. This feels very much like a process of bearing witness. I love the texture he's created, it feels rough and smudged, particularly in the sky and the figure's hooded head. I can almost feel the cold. There's a contrast between the scratchy lines used to create the trees and the smoother shading of the face. The trees are almost like symbols, stark and skeletal, while the figure has a more definite presence, even though it's still kind of ghostly. I notice how the way the branches are cropped at the top feels kind of brutal, like they've been cut off, mirroring the expression on the figure's face. Wiener's winter scene reminds me of Käthe Kollwitz's prints, especially her series on war. Both artists have a way of conveying deep sorrow and empathy through their work, making you feel something profound through simple marks.