Soldier Karl Stein
Ludwig Meidner
German, 1884–1966
1917
An ink-on-paper portrait in which Ludwig Meidner employs rapid, forceful pen strokes to capture a World War I soldier’s weathered features and intense, haunted expression in order to reveal his character under strain.
What strikes you is the furious economy of line—bold hatching and sharp contours build a furrowed brow, bulbous nose, and twisting mustache around a penetrating, troubled gaze that seems to pulse with inner tension.
Created in 1917, this drawing is a succinct example of German Expressionism’s turn toward psychological truth, using stark, energetic line to make visible the emotional toll and fractured humanity of modern, wartime experience.
Medium
Ink on paper
Dimensions
11 x 7 3/8" (27.9 x 18.8 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
John S. Newberry Fund
Accession
444.1967
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
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