(surreal composition)

Rudolf Bauer

An early Surrealist lithograph created during the epoch of modernism and the avant-garde in Germany prior to the Second World War. Rudolf Bauer was an early contributor to Der Sturm, the art and literary magazine that focused on the rising, edgier movements of the early 20th century: Expressionism, Cubism, Dada, and Surrealism. Bauer worked in both non-objective and figurative subjects throughout his career, though int he United States he became especially known for the paintings commissioned by Solomon Guggenheim.

Less than a decade after Bauer created this piece - appearing at once entirely non-objective but with hints at his penchant for the erotic - he would be among those whose works were branded "degenerate" by Hitler's government. However, Bauer defied this branding and in an effort to fight against it he continued to exhibit throughout Europe and in the United States.

After one particularly successful debut at the Louvre's Jeu de Paume division, he returned to Berlin, whereupon he was immediately arrested (despite not being Jewish, Roma, or otherwise persecuted for a religion or ethnicity) and sent to a concentration camp. Fortunately his situation was discovered by friend and admirer Filippo Marinetti, an Italian Futurist, who was able to have him freed and given a visa allowing him to immigrate to New York. He remained there until his death in 1953.