Worker (Self-Portrait in Front of Trees and Chimneys)

Heinrich Hoerle

Created:

Movement:

1931

key Notes:

Industrial identity, Expressionist self-portrait.

Dimensions:

30 1/4 x 24 1/4 in. (76.8 x 61.6 cm)

medium:

Oil on canvas

Difficulty:

Intermediate

New game

story of the work:

"Worker (Self-Portrait in Front of Trees and Chimneys)" is a 1920 painting by German artist Heinrich Hoerle, notable for its expressionist style and social commentary on the working class during the Weimar Republic. The work reflects Hoerle's engagement with the themes of industrialization and labor, utilizing a stark palette and geometric forms to convey the tension between nature and the encroaching industrial landscape.

Description of the work:

Heinrich Hoerle's "Worker (Self-Portrait in Front of Trees and Chimneys)" features a stylized representation of the artist, characterized by angular forms and a muted color palette that emphasizes the industrial backdrop of chimneys and trees. The composition reflects the influence of the New Objectivity movement, with its focus on social realism and the depiction of the working class, as evidenced by the figure's robust posture and the stark contrast between the human element and the mechanized environment.

Artwork Photograph Source:

Harvard Art Museum

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