Lot Essay
Between 1912 and 1916 Ludwig Meidner created a series of urban landscapes which contain powerful and disturbing images reflecting the atrocities of the First World War. Considered his most important works, examples of Meidner's apocalyptic landscapes are now housed in many of the world's leading museums including the Staatsgalerie, Berlin, the Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Although first dedicated to Johannes Becher, the present drawing does not appear to have been in his possesion since it was given by Meidner to Jürgen Menningen in 1962. Becher was one of the first Expressionist poets and a close friend of George Grosz, Max Oppenheimer (Mopp) and Meidner. He wrote for Die Aktion between 1914 and 1919 in addition to being a founding member of the anti-war publication Die Neue Jugend - the first issue of which included his pacifist poem 'Ode zu Frieden', illustrated by Grosz.
Although first dedicated to Johannes Becher, the present drawing does not appear to have been in his possesion since it was given by Meidner to Jürgen Menningen in 1962. Becher was one of the first Expressionist poets and a close friend of George Grosz, Max Oppenheimer (Mopp) and Meidner. He wrote for Die Aktion between 1914 and 1919 in addition to being a founding member of the anti-war publication Die Neue Jugend - the first issue of which included his pacifist poem 'Ode zu Frieden', illustrated by Grosz.