Karikaturale figuur 1923

This is a caricature figure drawn by Erich Wichmann in 1923. It's a very simple sketch in pencil of a head in profile, with a long neck and an inscription in German below. Wichmann was a German artist working in the Weimar Republic, a time of great social upheaval and artistic experimentation. The Weimar years were marked by hyperinflation, political polarization, and the rise of extremist groups. He was associated with the Dada movement, and you can see its influence in the simplified form and satirical tone of this drawing. The inscription below the drawing emphasizes the artist's obligation to give something of himself. As historians, we look to archives and collections of letters to better understand Wichmann’s influences and intentions. The meaning of art is always contingent on the social conditions of its creation.