Send me an angel 

Cathrine Edlinger-Kunze made this oil painting called 'Send Me an Angel' sometime in the late 20th century. The expressionist style speaks to a cultural moment where the self is explored as fragile, and even fragmented. Looking closely, we see a face obscured by dark strokes, perhaps suggesting inner turmoil. Red streaks draw our eye down the canvas, hinting at pain or struggle. The title suggests a plea for help, a common theme in art reflecting personal and societal anxieties. Made in Austria, this painting taps into a tradition of psychological exploration in art. The social conditions of post-war Europe, with its uncertainties and shifts in values, may well have influenced Edlinger-Kunze's focus on internal states. We can see the legacy of artists such as Egon Schiele. To understand this work better, we can explore the history of expressionism and the cultural context of Austria in the late 20th century. It can offer insight into how artists respond to their times, challenging us to reflect on our own.