{"product_id":"self-portrait-of-a-degenerate-artist-oskar-kokoschka","title":"Self-portrait of a 'Degenerate Artist' - Oskar Kokoschka","description":"\u003cp\u003eA defiant 1937 self-portrait by Oskar Kokoschka, painted during his exile after his work was labelled degenerate by the Nazi regime.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePainted in 1937, this work captures Oskar Kokoschka at a moment of personal and political crisis. Following the Nazi regime's classification of his work as degenerate, the artist fled Austria for Prague. This self-portrait functions as a direct response to that persecution, reclaiming his identity against the state-mandated label.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition features the artist in a frontal pose, arms crossed, with a gaze that confronts the viewer directly. His brushwork is characteristic of his mature Expressionist style: rapid, gestural, and heavily textured. The application of paint creates a sense of agitation, with colours applied in broken, overlapping strokes that build the form of the face and torso. The palette is dominated by cool blues in the clothing, contrasted against the warmer, more chaotic tones of the background and skin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBehind the figure, the setting appears as a fragmented, almost dreamlike space. The inclusion of a small, distant figure and animal forms adds a layer of ambiguity to the scene. These elements suggest a retreat into a personal, symbolic world, away from the encroaching pressures of the European political climate. The painting avoids smooth transitions, opting instead for a raw, tactile surface that communicates the psychological state of the subject. By titling the work as he did, Kokoschka transformed a term of official condemnation into a badge of artistic defiance. It remains a significant example of how artists of the period navigated the intersection of personal identity and political exile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/de\/products\/naakte-vrouw-nude-woman-meijer-bleekrode\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eNaakte vrouw (Nude Woman) - Meijer Bleekrode — Meijer Bleekrode\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/de\/products\/composition-2-wassily-kandinsky\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eComposition 2 - Wassily Kandinsky — Wassily Kandinsky\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Oskar Kokoschka","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58860482396495,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58860626936143,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58860626968911,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58860627001679,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58860627034447,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Self-portrait-of-a-Degenerate-Artist-_Poster_CompositorV1_1790134709732.jpg?v=1790136599","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/de\/products\/self-portrait-of-a-degenerate-artist-oskar-kokoschka","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}