the life and works of sascha schneider - ETD - Louisiana State ...

while Dix’s works such as Sturmtruppe geht unter Gas vor (1924) from his series Der
Krieg represent actions of the war with heavily scratched etchings in an aggressively
violent way [Figs. 20-25 & 26]. The difference between the two also highlights the shift
from Symbolism to Expressionism in light of the war. In regards to Schneider’s own
works he wrote, “But if one wants to give the whole complete feeling, you have to make
a leap into the metaphysical. And so I design these [war sketches] with meaning from the
incarnate concepts of my younger works.” 63
This statement shows that Schneider was
still firmly under Symbolist influence despite the trauma of war, and did not abandon his
style to create art in the vein of so many like Dix.
After the war, Schneider was commissioned by the Academic Council of the
Ministry of the Interior to paint murals for a new Dresden art gallery. He worked on the
huge project for three and a half years, but political and economic events quickly
prevented its completion. It was slated to be the largest mural in all of Saxony,
measuring over 180m wide by 3.5m high, spread over of twelve walls. 64 Schneider
wanted it to be the masterpiece of his life’s work – a tribute to the glorification of “outer
man.” The time and energy invested in the futile venture left him with a deep feeling of
sadness. He moved away from Hellenrau in August of 1917 to Loschwitz, now part of
Dresden. It was here where he setup his last studio and apartment [Fig. 27].
63
64
Range,136.
Range,137.
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