two drawings of people walking on a beach near a plane
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266 - Classical Modernism Expressionism Grosz, George Grade monopl…
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Estimate €750 - €900
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Description
Classical Modernism Expressionism Grosz, George Grade monoplane and airfield in Berlin-Johannisthal. 1912. Pencil on thin sketch paper. 6.5 x 15 cm to 8.5 x 14.5 cm (15.8 x 10.2 cm). Inscribed with place and date. The first drawing bears an autograph on the reverse, along with the handwritten work number (1578) and the estate stamp (55 177 6). Mounted in a passe-partout. Framed under glass. Deitsch 3865. – Accompanied by a written confirmation from Peter Grosz. With an autograph on the reverse addressed to his son: “Dear Pete: amongst my very old sketches which Otz found amongst my old belongings in the attic at Savignyplatz 5, here is an old sketch of a Grade monoplane (the sort flown by your uncle Hans, who flew in aeroplanes and crashed in 1914). Just a little sketch, as ever.” - The drawings of Berlin-Johannisthal Aerodrome (1912) mark the earliest discernible moment in George Grosz’s oeuvre in which technological spectacle and social observation coincide inseparably: it is not the machine, but the crowd that becomes the subject of the image. In the nervous line, shaped in equal measure by Art Nouveau and satirical press, there are early signs of that ruthless exposure of social types which was to lead Grosz to mastery in the *Metropolis* portfolio (1917) and in *The Face of the Ruling Class* (1921). Johannisthal is thus not an early work in the sense of being tentative, but rather the seed of a programme: modern Berlin as an anatomical theatre of power, lust and ridicule. Hans Grade (1879–1946) was one of the most significant early German aviation pioneers and aircraft designers. Johannisthal Airfield was the main stage for Grade and his designs. In 1909, Hans Grade became the first German to win the Lanz Prize for Aviation – also in one of his monoplanes. Around 1912, the Grade monoplane was one of the most frequently seen aircraft in Johannisthal. Grade Monoplane and Airfield in Berlin-Johannisthal. 1912. Pencil on thin sketch paper. Titled and dated. The first drawing bears an autograph on the reverse, along with the handwritten work number (1578) and the estate stamp (55 177 6). Mounted in a passe-partout. Framed under glass. – With accompanying handwritten confirmation by Peter Grosz. With an autograph on the reverse addressed to his son: “Dear Pete: amongst my very old sketches, which Otz found amongst my old belongings in the attic at Savignyplatz 5, here is an old sketch of a Grade monoplane (like those of your uncle Hans, who flew aeroplanes and crashed in 1914. Just a little sketch, as ever.” The drawings from the Berlin-Johannisthal airfield (1912) mark the earliest tangible moment in George Grosz’s work at which the spectacle of technology and social observation become inseparably intertwined: it is not the machine, but the crowd that becomes the subject of the image. In the nervous line – shaped equally by Art Nouveau and the satirical press – one can already detect that ruthless exposure of social types which Grosz would bring to full mastery in the *Metropolis* portfolio (1917) and *The Face of the Ruling Class* (1921). Johannisthal is therefore not an early work in the sense of being provisional, but the seed of a programme: modern Berlin as an anatomical theatre of power, desire and absurdity. Hans Grade (1879–1946) was one of the most important German aviation pioneers and aircraft designers of the early period. The Johannisthal airfield was the main stage for Grade and his designs. In 1909, Hans Grade became the first German to win the Lanz Prize of the Air – also in one of his monoplanes. Around 1912, the Grade monoplane was one of the most frequently seen aircraft at Johannisthal.
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About the sale Modern and Contemporary Art
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Auction time 07/11/2026 at 11:00 AM
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