Eine Vision 1923

Editor: We're looking at Lovis Corinth's "Eine Vision," created in 1923, a drawing done with ink and pencil. It’s a whirlwind of figures, very gestural and chaotic. What kind of symbols jump out at you here? Curator: The raw, almost frenzied lines, particularly around the central nude figure, evoke a sense of inner turmoil. Corinth created this later in his life, and in the Expressionist mode, there is intense subjectivity, perhaps as a reckoning with mortality. Note how some figures seem to observe, even accuse, while others flail. Do you recognize the horns on one figure? It subtly infers demonic symbolism. Editor: That’s true, the horns do add an ominous element! The way the nude is surrounded also makes me think of historical paintings of Judgment or mythological scenes… But why so unfinished? Curator: Ah, but the "unfinished" aspect IS the point! The rapid, uncorrected marks bypass rational thought, delving straight into the subconscious. Expressionism as a movement was very much invested in the idea of “authenticity” achieved through the primitive mark and the direct transmission of feeling. In 1923, Germany was going through social unrest and economic depression: might this 'vision' also suggest societal anxieties? Editor: I didn't think about the social implications. Now that I see the work with the artist's inner world in mind as well as a troubled German society, the figure feels even more desperate, but in a compelling way. Thanks for the insights! Curator: My pleasure. It’s in these swirling lines that Corinth encapsulates not just personal trauma, but potentially a cultural and spiritual crisis.