Portrait of Captain Karl Boleslavski, 1916

Captain Karl Boleslavski is shown looking at a point outside of the depiction with a serious, strict and expectant expression. Drawing back slightly, his posture reveals both distance and apprehension. The young Expressionist Anton Kolig (1886–1950), who during World War I served as a war artist on the frontline, rendered the officer, wearing a blue-green uniform and cap, in front of a background made up of scumbled layers of various shades of green. The deliberately lighter areas surrounding the figure invest it with an immediate presence. What is particularly striking is the contrast between the depicted’s detailed physiognomy and the fluid background, painted in a liberal, sketch-like manner. This may be due to the work’s quick creation during few sittings. Along with his task of documenting battle stations in the field, portraying officers and soldiers afforded Kolig an agreeable additional occupation during the war years.

AK, 2023