Untitled 

Alfred Kubin created this untitled drawing using graphite on paper. Kubin, who lived from 1877 to 1959, was deeply affected by personal tragedies and the turbulent social environment of his time, including both World Wars. This drawing presents a surreal creature – a lion with a human face. The hybrid form seems to represent the blurring of boundaries, not only between species, but also between the rational and irrational aspects of the self. Kubin’s art often delves into the darker sides of human existence, exploring themes of anxiety, isolation, and the grotesque. The human-faced lion is rendered in stark lines, evoking a sense of unease. Kubin develops an alternative narrative in which the monstrous is not something external, but rather a reflection of inner turmoil. In this drawing, Kubin seems to suggest that the animalistic and the human are intertwined, shaping our identities in complex and sometimes disturbing ways. The drawing is not just an image, but a mirror reflecting our fears, desires, and the hidden aspects of our nature.