Leicester New Walk Art

Leicester New Walk museum: my favourite pieces

The museum holds the UKs largest exhibition of German Expressionist art. Expressionism is one of my favourite art styles, so this exhibition was very interesting and thought provoking to me.

Messiah (originally Messias) - This expressionist oil painting was a self portrait,created in 1919 by German artist, Ernst Neuschul. Between 1919 to 1926, Neuschul’s interests consisted of Freudian psychoanalysis, sexual liberation, spiritualism and yoga, which may have been his inspiration for the paintings he created including nudity, dancers or self absorbed subjects.

The Dancers (originally Tanzende) - This piece by Max Beckmann was created using a woodcut printing technique in 1922. It is part of a portfolio named Ganymed-Mappe, made up of prints by German artists. In many of his other pieces, Beckmann presented more cynical views through his prints, so this one contrasted that and showed a softer side.

Seated Woman (originally Holzschnitt: Ruckenakt) This was another woodcut piece printed by Hubert Berke in 1947. Berke was one of the few German artists active after WW2 who found success as an abstract artist, aswell as a representational one.