George Grosz | Berlinische Galerie | Ihr Museum für moderne und zeitgenössische Kunst in Berlin 29/05/2018, 16+22

Berlinische Galerie > Collection > Prints and Drawings > George Grosz

GEORGE GROSZ (1893-1959)

"DAUM" MARRIES HER PEDANTIC
AUTOMATON "GEORGE" IN MAY 1920,
JOHN HEARTFIELD IS VERY GLAD OF
IT (META-MECH. CONSTR. AFTER PROF.
R. HAUSMANN)
1920
“Daum” is an anagram of Maud, the name that George Grosz
gave to his girlfriend and later wife, Eva Peter. The title of the
picture refers to the marriage of this obviously highly unsuited
couple. Only scantily clad, with her natural corporeality still quite
visible, Daum stands next to George, an automaton assembled
from body and machine parts. He shows no interest whatsoever
in the provocative physical attractions of his bride, who –
amazed and abashed – turns towards the motionless mechanical
being. Vital sensuality and emotionality versus cool, mechanical
functionality – this contrast is emphasised through the conflict
between the traditional technique used to depict the soft,
rounded forms of the young woman and the montage of
materials from which the bridegroom is made up.
The black and white reproduction of this “meta-mechanical
construction” belonged to the portfolio “With Brush and Scissors.
7 Materialisations” published by Malik in 1922. Grosz, who
preferred mixing different techniques to creating purely material
images, collected his Dadaist works from 1919 to 1922 in this
portfolio.

"Daum" marries her pedantic automaton "George" in May 1920,

John Heartfield is very glad of it (Meta-Mech. Constr. after Prof.
R. Hausmann)
1920
Watercolours over drawing pen, collage on card,
42 x 30.2 cm
Acquired with funds from the Foundation DKLB, 1979

© VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2011

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