Flucht (The Flight into Egypt) 1916

Curator: Here we have Otto Lange's "The Flight into Egypt," a linocut from 1916. Editor: It’s stark, isn’t it? The high contrast and angular forms evoke a sense of anxiety and urgency, almost a raw primal fear. The colors are very minimal; the black and pale blue amplify the emotion. Curator: It's certainly impactful. Lange, associated with German Expressionism, frequently used biblical themes to reflect on contemporary societal anxieties. Consider the sociopolitical context of 1916—World War I raged. This print offers a visual metaphor, tapping into the vulnerability and displacement felt by many at the time. Editor: You're absolutely right. Displacement as a potent metaphor. And given Expressionism’s focus on subjective experience, that trauma is rendered with such compelling visual distortion. Even the landscape, simplified into sharp, jagged lines, feels hostile. The family almost seems swallowed up. Do you think the medium, the linocut itself, reinforces that effect? Curator: Undoubtedly. The nature of the linocut, the way it lends itself to bold, graphic statements and flattened perspective, it works perfectly. And that blue; those little accents create some visual texture, even within all that darkness. One notices Mary looking to the sun perhaps her guiding hope on her shoulder is the babe Jesus and Joseph points in the direction they need to take, away from their woes. Editor: The pose certainly speaks volumes of their emotions and their journey. They're so alone on this landscape. I wonder, in the context of the war, if this artwork encouraged its viewers to recognize universal vulnerability, to bridge the gap between biblical narrative and their own struggles. Curator: It's plausible, art at this time very often took that function on in society. "The Flight into Egypt," would have had social implications and commentary on that particular period of time in Germany. Its accessibility to wider audiences through print further extends its ability to reach a broader community and demographic, making it available for interpretation in socio-economic and intersectional contexts. Editor: This was insightful. Thank you.