Der Träumer c. 1929

Karl Wiener made this drawing, Der Träumer, with charcoal, and you can see the material texture and powdery residue of the charcoal across the surface. It’s all silvery browns and soft blacks, like moonlight on a cloudy night. I wonder what it might have been like to make this drawing, what he was thinking as he rendered the figure of the dreamer in the street, or was it a nightmare? The artist is looking to communicate something about the strangeness of dreams, how they can be both beautiful and terrifying. The composition has an eerie, surreal quality, like a stage set for a disquieting drama. I keep thinking about the marks of charcoal and the process of layering and blending to build tone and depth, as if the artist is conjuring up the image from the shadows, inviting us to step into their dream and grapple with its mysteries. It’s almost like he’s speaking to other artists across time, sharing ideas and inspiring creativity.