Summary

This is the first documentary to illuminate Neue Sachlichkeit against the backdrop of the Weimar Republic and National Socialism. Dix’s works—including the key Metropolis triptych (1928–29), the great psychological portraits, and, last but not least, the landscapes with their hidden symbolism, painted during the years he spent at Lake Constance—form the starting point for this exploration of his oeuvre. They are placed in a context with works of art by George Grosz, Rudolf Schlichter, and Christian Schad, creating a new perspective on this crucial chapter in German art history.