The Morning Way to the Office 1918

Editor: This is Walter Gramatté’s woodcut, "The Morning Way to the Office." It's a powerful, dark image. What kind of symbolic weight do you see in this procession? Curator: The figures, rendered almost as silhouettes, evoke a sense of anonymity and collective experience. Notice how the artist uses stark contrasts. What cultural memory does that visual language trigger for you? Editor: A feeling of oppression? Like cogs in a machine? Curator: Precisely. Gramatté's use of simplified forms and intense blacks resonates with the visual language of Expressionism, a movement deeply concerned with the psychological impact of modernity. Do you see how the repetition of figures creates a dehumanizing effect? Editor: Yes, the lack of individuality is striking. It makes you think about the loss of self. Curator: Exactly. The print becomes a potent symbol of alienation, echoing anxieties that continue to resonate today. It makes you consider the tension between individuality and conformity, doesn’t it? Editor: Absolutely. I hadn't considered its continued relevance so deeply. Thanks for opening my eyes.