This image represents a two-dimensional work of art, such as a
drawing,
painting,
print, or similar creation. The
copyright for this image is likely owned by either the
artist who created it, the
individual who commissioned the work, or their
legal heirs. It is believed that the use of
low-resolution images of artworks:
for purposes of
critical commentary on:
- the specific work in question,
- the artistic genre or technique employed in the artwork, or
- the artistic school or tradition to which the artist is associated,
qualifies as
fair use under
copyright law.
Any other use of this image, could potentially constitute a copyright infringement.
It is a deeply sarcastic portrait of the German elite classes who supported Fascism. Like many of his paintings of this era it satirized what he believed was the corrupt and bourgeois society of Germany. In this painting Grosz uses his skills as a caricaturist to produce vivid, grotesque, nightmarish, portrayals of those who controlled society. Businessmen, clergy and generals, are all portrayed not as the polished, fine, refined gentlemen of Academy art, but as vicious, selfish, and uncaring individuals. Grosz was a leading figure of the Neue Sachlikeit (New Objectivity) Movement which reflected the resignation and cynicism of the post-war period and it used violent satire to depict the face of evil.