“The Great Grandmother” is an artwork created by Alfred Kubin in 1926. It is a portrait that reflects the expressionist and symbolic art movements. In the image, you can see a striking portrait of an elderly woman. Her features are marked with deep lines and large, expressive eyes that seem to convey wisdom and possibly a sense of resignation or deep contemplation. She is dressed in black clothing with a striped yellow and black scarf or shawl draped around her shoulders. The portrayal shows her seated, with her hands gently resting on a surface in front of her, suggesting a pose of reflection.
The background appears almost whimsical, with a rural landscape featuring trees, vegetation, and hints of buildings or architecture in a simplistic style, diverging from the more detailed and somber representation of the woman. The use of muted colors and the interplay of shadows and light on her face add to the emotive quality of the work, typical of the expressionist intent to evoke emotional responses. The style of the drawing, with its bold outlines and the overlay of colors, illustrates the blending of expressionism and symbolism, characteristic of Kubin’s work, where the psychological aspect is often emphasized over realism.
