The Way Home (Der Nachhausweg), plate from "Die Holle" (Hell), 1919
Max Beckmann; Printer: J.B. Neumann, Berlinexpand_more
Lithographexpand_more
The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fund, 1967expand_more P.13,888
Not on Viewexpand_more
The Way Home is the opening scene in Beckmann's acclaimed graphic cycle Die Holle (Hell), a dark and disturbing essay on the collapse of German society in the aftermath of the First World War (1914-18). Set in postwar Berlin, the allegorical scene features Beckmann as a man on his way home who suddenly encounters a horribly disfigured veteran under the light of a street lamp. Bearing the scars of war, the once proud soldier symbolizes the fate of Germany itself, broken and defeated. In the foreground, a menacing black dog warns of the dangers that lie ahead. Beckmann further enhances the tension of the scene by crowding his figures into a shallow pictorial space. Above all, The Way Home is a powerful denouncement of war.
Details
- Title
- The Way Home (Der Nachhausweg), plate from "Die Holle" (Hell)
- Artist Life
- 1884–1950
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.13,888
- Provenance
- (Galerie Cunther Franke, Munich); sold to MIA, 1967.
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Gall. 114; Gl.122
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.