Portrait Sketches 1920

Editor: This is "Portrait Sketches," a 1920 ink and pen drawing by Lovis Corinth. The overlapping portraits give me a sense of raw energy and intense observation, like a glimpse into the artist’s mind. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Beyond just portraits, these sketches resonate with the societal shifts happening in post-World War I Germany. The fragmented composition and expressive lines seem to echo the fractured sense of identity and displacement many felt after such a cataclysmic event. Does the use of ink, a very immediate medium, amplify this sense of urgency to you? Editor: Definitely. There’s no room for correction, no hiding. Each line feels deliberate and reveals Corinth's thinking, but also society. What strikes you most about his choices? Curator: Corinth’s commitment to capturing human expression, even in its rawest form, speaks to his engagement with Expressionism. The rapid strokes seem to bypass traditional portraiture, inviting us to consider the psychological depths of his subjects, and, by extension, the trauma and anxieties of the time. Do you notice how the incomplete nature of the sketches reflects on the incompleteness of social healing? Editor: I see that now. They are all connected: the quickness, incompleteness, his choice of medium. I hadn't thought of that at first. Thanks! Curator: It’s crucial to remember that art often mirrors, and sometimes challenges, the realities of its time. Appreciating these contextual layers deepens our understanding of both the artwork and the society it reflects. Editor: Absolutely! Seeing it in that light gives it much more depth and complexity than I originally realized.