In this painting, the focus is on the faces of the woman and the two girls she sits with. All three figures in this piece are looking at the viewer....
In this painting, the focus is on the faces of the woman and the two girls she sits with. All three figures in this piece are looking at the viewer. Though their poses are informal and relaxed, they seem to be aware of the viewer’s presence, perhaps posing with the knowledge that they are being observed. The exaggerated features of the figures, their slightly enlarged eyes and sharply defined noses and mouths allow the viewer to read into their expressions. One of the girls is using a mobile phone, one is taking a break from roller-skating so she stands on the side of the sofa with a lollipop, and the woman is reading a book by Richard David Precht, after which this painting is titled. Though these activities seem mundane, this painting marks them down as significant. ‘Erkenne die Welt,’ from the series ‘Moral’ is created in Wolfgang Dieter Bauer’s recognisable painterly style. His realism is distinctive and multifaceted, allowing for some speculation from the viewer about where the scene takes place, and what the dialogue is between the people and their setting.