Carl Grossberg: New Forms in the World of Technology

Carl Grossberg’s (1894–1940) painting career was bracketed by the two world wars. He drew his subject matter from “the enormous wealth of new forms in the world of technology,” recognising both its potential and its dangers. The publication examines the paintings, drawings and prints of the German New Objectivity painter in the Merrill C. Berman Collection. Long associated with the German New Objectivity movement of the 1920s, Grossberg is revered for his precise paintings of industry, devoid of human figures but vibrant with colour. His “Dream Pictures” envision industrial settings inhabited by unexpected creatures, such as monkeys, bats and birds, which act to destabilise the certainty of such materialised rationalism. This lavishly illustrated book takes an unprecedented object-based approach and focuses on the reception of the works during the artist’s lifetime. It highlights his Bauhaus training, his interrelated practices as a painter and interior designer, the centrality of commissions, and his relationship with the National Socialist regime after 1933. It is a robust study of Carl Grossberg’s work and life with a full scholarly armature including historical photographs, documents and publications.