New Objectivity - 918

Narrator (f):

With just a few paintings, Schad defined the image of New Objectivity. As if with a scalpel, he dissected his models in the smoothest, almost photorealistic painting style and evoked icy atmosphere, lack of emotion or participation, and the distance between people. His seminude seem from the side is a masterpiece of realistic, highly precise painting; in extreme fidelity to reality, the blue vessels in her skin are visible: an erotic displaying of the female body on display.

Narrator (m):

When he joined the National Socialist Party in 1933, Schad was reacting to changing political conditions. At the same time, his style lost sharpness and hence expressive power. Even if he was never one of the artists in demand from National Socialists, like Werner Peiner and Adolf Wissel, he was commissioned to copy the Stuppach Madonna of Matthias Grünewald, which was a lucrative public commission.

Narrator (f):

This portrait of his wife, Bettina, from 1942, documents the change in his style. The woman’s naked body is seen through a transparent blouse, but the work entirely lacks sensuality. The background in the style of old master landscapes underscores the conservative impression.