Umriss c. 1921

Karl Wiener made this drawing, Umriss, using colored pencils, at some point during his short life. It’s kind of like a coloring-book drawing, but one where the artist didn’t stay inside the lines – thank goodness! The texture of the colored pencil on paper is really present. You can see the direction of the marks, like little hatching strokes, especially in the green and violet areas. It’s a reminder that art is always a process, built up slowly. The black lines seem to want to contain the color, but can't quite manage it. They end up emphasizing the unruly energy of the different color fields. Look at the bottom left corner of the drawing, where green and violet meet. The pencil marks are so clear, and the colors blend together in a way that’s both delicate and kind of raw. It’s like Wiener is showing us how the drawing is made, one stroke at a time. In some ways, this reminds me of Klee, a playful exploration of color and line. Ultimately, it’s a beautiful example of how art can embrace imperfection and ambiguity.