This work, executed in charcoal and watercolor on paper (21 x 29.5 cm), impressively addresses the central tension between war and humanity. It belongs to the “War and Peace” group of works and illustrates the overwhelming burden that war exerts on the individual and society.



The composition shows two main motifs: a shadowy, dark human figure and an oversized steel helmet. The figure on the left, almost disappearing and static, appears lost and melancholy, as a symbol of man’s powerlessness and resignation in the face of the horrors of war. The helmet on the right, massive and oppressively large, dominates the scene and functions as a universal symbol of war and destruction. Its monumental presence emphasizes how omnipresent and insurmountable the aftermath of war appears.



The blue background forms a stark contrast to the gloomy, heavy foregrounds. It could symbolize hope or peace, but remains diffuse and unattainable – a reference to the fragility of peace in a world marked by violence and the memory of war. The earthy paper reinforces the raw, unprocessed atmosphere and refers to the transience of life.



The work was created in 2004, at a time when the aftermath of the world wars and reflections on global conflicts were more present than ever before. It invites the viewer to reflect on the inescapable burden of war, collective memory and human fragility.



With this drawing, Markus Lüpertz takes up the central idea of his “War and Peace” group of works by depicting the omnipresent burden of war and the longing for peace in a reduced, highly symbolic visual language.





Frame:

real white gold, black, 12 ct hand-polished frame

ArtCare 3mm Foamboard white

Whitecap, museum card board

MSK, antique white, natural, 2,7mm

museum glas M

hanging both-sided