Trauer 1921

Karl Wiener made "Trauer" with watercolor and pencil sometime in the first half of the 20th century. It’s all about the process, the layering of marks, the way the colors bleed into each other. The texture of the paper shines through, giving it a raw, immediate feel. Wiener uses vertical strokes for the central figure which makes them look shrouded. The purple background is uneven, hinting at an inner turmoil. And then there's that flame at the bottom, a bright, almost defiant orange. It curls around the figure like a snake, but also offers warmth, a tiny spark of hope amidst the gloom. Wiener reminds me a bit of Kokoschka, with that same raw emotion. Art isn't about perfection; it's about feeling and letting it all spill out onto the surface.