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Demonstration
Curt Querner
Oil on Canvas 1930

Querner as born in 1904 near Dresden. He was a worker in a glass production factory before studying at the Dresden Art Academy. In 1930 he left the Academy to join the KPD (German Communist Party). Querner, a prolific painter, became well known for his portrait works. His art fell into the category of the Neue Sachlichkeit, or "New Objectivity" school. The term applied to all artworks that represented social and economic realities in a realistic and unsentimental manner.

This painting titled, Demonstration, portrays a militant worker's march. The artwork is actually a self portrait - with Querner being the fellow wearing the dark blue shirt. He painted himself standing next to fellow painter, Wilhelm Dodel. In February, 1945, the allied air raids on Dresden destroyed Querner's studio and with it a large portion of his works. The artist died in 1976. Though he is little recognized in the US, things are different in Germany. 2004 marked the 100 anniversary of the artist's birth, and galleries and museums across Germany showed his works.