Dream Vision

Kokoschka worked in the style of the Viennese Art Noveau, or Jugendstil (Youth Style), in which artists sought to disassociate with so-called high art and focus on decorative arts, printmaking, and the book arts. Kokoschka illustrated several books: shown here is a scene from Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe, the story of a shipwrecked sailor stranded on a remote island in the Atlantic Ocean. Although the book was intended for adults, Kokoschka’s illustration resembles one from a children’s book, with its thick black lines and bold colors. The crowded, shallow space in the composition reflects the anxiety Crusoe feels, as he is trapped in the strange, dreamlike world of the island.