Rummelplatz. Fair Grounds 1914

Editor: This is "Rummelplatz. Fair Grounds" painted by Walter Gramatté in 1914, using oil paints in a impasto style. I find the swirling strokes create an unsettling effect; it looks as if a cheerful scene is being swept away by harsh weather or a storm. What do you see in this painting? Curator: Oh, what a question that sparks the imagination! It is true that Gramatté renders a bleak scene. It feels as though the weight of the world is bearing down, a sense heightened by the figures that huddle amidst the carnival's infrastructure as if taking cover from the elements, doesn't it? Now, look at the heavy brushstrokes. Notice how they create depth, and a tangible quality that's almost painful. Does that resonate with the emotional landscape of pre-war Germany for you? Editor: Absolutely. The sky looms large, and the thickness of the paint adds to the heaviness, a world of anxiety right before the war. The figures do look dwarfed. Almost alienated. Is it typical of German Expressionism to blend light-hearted subjects like a fairground with a sense of doom? Curator: It’s interesting you pick up on that apparent paradox. I believe it exemplifies the tension within German Expressionism—the frantic desire to capture lived experience with raw emotion; it is a mirror reflecting back not always pretty realities! This might mean locating anxiety within the everyday... It feels profoundly relevant today, doesn’t it, navigating the tensions of the world within spaces of entertainment. What do you take away now? Editor: I see it. It’s no longer just a painting of a fairground but a stark premonition of a world on the brink. The thick paint embodies not only the scene, but also the palpable angst of a generation facing unimaginable upheaval. Thanks so much for your perspective. Curator: Anytime, let’s do it again.