The New Objectivity Art Movement was a reaction to the Expressionist movement that dominated German art during the early 20th century.

The New Objectivity was born in 1919, when artists began to reject naturalism and realism in favor of depicting their world with a more objective eye.

The movement began with a group of artists known as Die Brucke (The Bridge), who were inspired by cubism and surrealism but wanted to bring those styles into everyday life through their work.

Their goal was to create an honest depiction of reality without embellishment or idealization–something they called “the truthfulness of nature.”

In 1925, another important group emerged: Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity).

This group took its name from Wassily Kandinsky’s 1911 book On the Spiritual in Art;

he used the term “sachlichkeit” (which means objectivity) to describe how he wanted his paintings to feel like photographs rather than emotional expressions.

He believed this would allow viewers’ minds free rein over what they saw without being influenced by personal biases or emotions that might otherwise cloud judgment about whether something was beautiful or not.

History of the Movement

The New Objectivity movement was an artistic movement that began in Germany in the 1920s.

It was a reaction to the Expressionist movement and its emphasis on emotional expression, which many artists felt had gone too far.

Instead, they wanted to focus on objective reality and everyday life.


The origins of this movement can be traced back to the late 19th century when artists began moving away from traditional styles such as Romanticism and Impressionism toward more realistic depictions of their subjects (see History of Realism).

However, it wasn’t until after World War I that these ideas fully coalesced into what we now call “New Objectivity.”

This change came about because many people felt disillusioned by war, which led them to reject idealized notions about humanity in favor of more honest representations of reality–hence why some people refer to this style as “Neue Sachlichkeit” (“New Matter-of-Factness”).

Style and Themes of New Objectivity

The style and themes of New Objectivity are closely related.

The movement was a reaction against Expressionism, which had been dominant in Germany before World War I.

The artists wanted to create more realistic works that showed the world as it really was rather than how they felt about it or what they thought it should be like.

This realism can be seen in many different ways throughout New Objectivity art:

Realistic depictions of people and places (even if those people are poor),

Social commentary on class issues such as poverty and unemployment.

New Objectivity In Germany

The New Objectivity movement was a reaction to the Expressionist movement, which had dominated German art in the early 20th century.

The Weimar Republic was an era of social change and political turmoil that lasted from 1919 until 1933 (the year Hitler came into power).

Artists like George Grosz and Otto Dix were disgusted by what they saw as an overly sentimentalized view of life during this time period; they wanted their work to be less subjective and more objective.


The Nazis rejected New Objectivity because it did not fit with their idealized vision of Germany’s past or future, they preferred art that glorified war heroes and heroic deeds over anything else.

Many artists fled abroad after Hitler came into power;

those who stayed behind were forced into exile or imprisoned for their beliefs

New Objectivity in the United States

In the United States, the Great Depression was a time of great economic hardship and social upheaval.

Artists responded by creating works that were often stark and realistic in their portrayal of everyday life.

This movement was known as “Regionalism,” which emphasized regional subjects over abstract or idealized ones.

Regionalism had its roots in 19th century American art but blossomed during the 1930s thanks to government funding for artists who wanted to paint scenes from their own communities – an idea that would later be called “Public Art.”

The legacy of New Objectivity can still be seen today in many contemporary artists who continue to explore how we perceive ourselves through our surroundings:

think Edward Hopper’s iconic paintings like Nighthawks (1942) or Alfred Leslie’s photographs taken from inside his apartment window overlooking Times Square at night.

Modern Relevance of New Objectivity

New Objectivity’s influence on contemporary art is undeniable.

The movement’s focus on realism and its rejection of emotional expression have been key aspects of many artists’ work in the decades since its heyday, including Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns.

New Objectivity was also reassessed by German Expressionist painters such as George Grosz who sought to distance themselves from what they perceived as the overly sentimental nature of their predecessors’ work.

In fact, some historians believe that it was this reassessment that led directly to the rise of abstract expressionism in America during the 1950s and ’60s–a movement which further pushed aside any remaining traces of sentimentality from modern painting altogether!

Notable New Objectivity Works

The New Objectivity movement is known for its realistic depictions of the world, and these three works are no exception.

Grosz’s painting “Metropolis” (1927) is a satirical look at big city life in Germany during the 1920s.

The work depicts a crowded street scene with businessmen and women rushing about their business, completely oblivious to the suffering going on around them.

The painting also shows how people were struggling financially during this time period–the buildings are falling apart, there are homeless people sleeping on park benches, etc.

   

, but everyone seems too busy to notice or care about it!

This painting was created by Otto Dix in 1924;

it depicts soldiers returning home after World War I ended in 1918 (and Germany lost).

Many soldiers suffered physical injuries during battle;

some also experienced mental health issues due to PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

This piece shows us what life was like for these men who had just come home from war – they’re tired from fighting overseas;

some have missing limbs from injuries sustained during combat;

others appear angry at having been forced into service against their will.

The overall mood here is somber as we see how much pain these men have endured throughout their lives because of war.

War explores themes such as death and destruction caused by conflict between nations;

racial inequality within society itself – both past injustices committed against minorities within America itself along with current struggles faced by African Americans today regarding police brutality etc.

New Objectivity – Wrap Up

The New Objectivity Art Movement was a reaction to the art of the early 20th century.

The movement began in Germany in the 1920s and continued until the end of World War II.

Artists were inspired by their experiences during this time period, which led them to create works that depicted reality as it was seen through their eyes.

The New Objectivity artists believed that art should be made for everyone, not just wealthy patrons or collectors who could afford expensive paintings and sculptures.

They wanted their work to be accessible for everyone so they used simpler forms like woodcuts or prints on paper instead of oil paint on canvas (which requires expensive materials).

They also used everyday objects like chairs, bottles and utensils as subjects for their paintings instead of using traditional subject matter such as landscapes or portraits because these items were available all around them every day when they went out into public spaces like parks or cafes.