Danse Macabre (version IV), 1915

Probably the most famous motif in the work of Albin Egger-Lienz (1868–1926) is Danse Macabre 1809. The Tyrolean artist focused on this monumental group of figures in a total of six versions between 1906 und 1921. Death leads a group of four peasants in lockstep. They follow him blindly—only the last one looks back with regret. The new striving for size, indeed monumentality, demanded a new material. Instead of oil paints, Egger-Lienz found his solution in matte casein paint. In this fourth version from 1915, the outlines hold the large forms together; the three-dimensionality of the figures is achieved by shading and brightening the areas of color. With this group of works, Egger-Lienz definitively left the world of traditional history and genre painting behind. Instead of portraying events realistically, the focus shifted to human existence. The Viennese public was divided in its reaction to the composition; Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the throne, pointedly ignored the work when it was first presented at the Künstlerhaus. Egger-Lienz represented the tragedy of war, but the imperial dynasty needed heroes to fight for God, emperor, and country.

SK, 2019