Portret van Felix Koenigs op zijn doodsbed 1900

Max Klinger captured this image of Felix Koenigs on his deathbed using etching techniques. Klinger lived in a tumultuous era, with both World Wars, seeing massive shifts in society and technology. As a classically trained artist, Klinger was working against the grain, developing innovative techniques to produce deeply personal and symbolic work. In this intimate portrait, there's a vulnerability that transcends the traditional representations of death. Usually, the dead are idealized, but Klinger presents Koenigs in a raw, unvarnished state. There's a sense of equality in death, where social status and earthly concerns fade away. Klinger wasn’t afraid to grapple with the darker sides of human existence. By presenting death in such an intimate and honest light, Klinger encourages us to confront our own mortality and consider what truly matters in life.