Der Träumer c. 1929

Karl Wiener made this drawing, "The Dreamer," with charcoal, or maybe graphite, to create a kind of dreamlike vision, or maybe a nightmare, it's hard to tell. The mark-making is all about blending and smudging; it's like he's creating forms out of the darkness. The color palette is, well, it's basically greyscale, but the way he uses the light and shadow gives it a ghostly feeling. You can see that he's using the texture of the paper to his advantage. The surface isn't smooth. It's got this almost furry quality that adds to the creepiness. Look closely at the figure's skin – it's like he’s emerging from the shadows. I keep thinking about Goya when I see this. There's a similar darkness, a similar exploration of the human condition. Ultimately, Wiener’s "The Dreamer," like all great art, embraces ambiguity. It doesn't give us easy answers, but invites us to bring our own experiences and interpretations to the table.