Die Irren II (The Mad II) (headpiece, page 26) from Georg Heym: Umbra Vitae (Georg Heym: The Shadow of Life)
Kirchner, Ernst Ludwig · German
1924
- Medium
- woodcut from a bound volume with 50 woodcuts (including cover and front and back endpapers) on wove paper
- Classification
- Volume
- Period
- 1901 to 1925
- Image size
- 14146 × 10609px
Description
The image at the top of the page shows abstract interlocking geometric shapes and lines that resemble human faces. The shapes suggest a group of people with various expressions, arranged in a structured yet chaotic manner. The design is reminiscent of tribal masks or ancient carvings. Below the artwork, there is German text formatted in a structured layout, similar to a poem or song lyrics. The combination of the abstract image and text creates a juxtaposition of visual and literary elements.
Rights & Source
Open access image from the National Gallery of Art, released under its open access program. Metadata via the NGA Open Data Program (CC0).