Der Former 2016

Neo Rauch painted 'Der Former' using traditional oil on canvas techniques, yet the scene he depicts couldn't be further from conventional fine art subjects. Rauch's distinctive application of paint gives the work an almost fresco-like quality. The monochromatic blue palette creates a dreamlike atmosphere, but it also casts a shadow on the laboring figures. Their postures, the water tower looming in the background, and the electrical pylon, evoke a sense of industrial production and perhaps even the artist’s own place within the socialist East Germany in which he was raised. There's a visible contrast between the workers and the man seated inside, alluding to a social hierarchy. The sword and his posture suggest a position of power, in opposition to those outside engaged in manual labor. Rauch challenges the perceived boundaries between high art and craft, inviting us to consider the social and political context embedded within the artwork.