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Collections & Critiques

Revenge, the precious instrument of nature which goaded Satan to tempt Eve, and caused the death of Socrates, is with us now, hanging on a small wall of the Germanic Museum. Never before has the element of vengeance entered the realm of art and music, but in a series of pen sketches by Oberlaender, entitled "Piano's Revenge," a new vista of conjecture is opened for those who appreciate the rare combination of real humor and fine craftsmanship.

These neatly done bits of artistic wit show the sly, amatory advances of a curiously-moustached music teacher on his attractive young pupil. Our keyboard Casanova is just in the act of kissing his pretty protege when the raised piano-top, behind which they are hiding, expresses its disapproval by solidly falling on the heads of the two lovers. At the sound of the crash, an irate father rushes upon the scene and sternly reprimands his daughter for her licentious behaviour. Meanwhile, our fallen Caesar forsakes his Cleopatra and silently slinks out of the room.

The sketches, which continue the story in this rather laughable fashion, exhibit strong powers of social satire and characterization. Though Ober-laender lacks much that can be found in Daumier, this small sample of his work is convincing enough to make anyone who sees it want to see more. Humor in art presents difficulties which are not easy to surmount. A ludicrous subject, if not sufficiently restrained by means of proper emphasis upon style and technique will perhaps draw a short but hearty laugh from an onlooker. The same subject performed in a subtle fashion will cause a series of chuckles, and a mellow, not a blatant, memory of the picture. The former is a funny incident; the latter is artistic humor. Oberlaender, by not making us laugh too loudly, gives us something to remember.

But this is not the only type of art in the Germanic Museum. It offers us a wide diversity in types of art; we are able to travel from the crisp little sketches by Oberlaender to a decidedly harsh watercolor by George Grosz. In this painting, called "Brotherly Love," there can be found the bloodshed, lust, and intensity of passion which characterizes war. His bright colors shed a distasteful but highly effective glow, and the physical gyrations of his men serve to heighten the wild and futile nature of armed conflict. Grosz never minces words; he seldom argues; but in a sweeping and rather dictatorial way, he hammers his point home.

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