Corpse of a Horse - Otto Dix

A stark, unflinching etching from Otto Dix's 1924 series, Der Krieg, documenting the grim reality of the First World War.

This etching by Otto Dix belongs to his extensive series titled Der Krieg (The War), published in 1924. The work depicts the carcass of a horse, a common sight on the battlefields of the First World War. Dix, who served as a machine gunner during the conflict, utilised his experience to document the grim reality of modern warfare. The composition focuses on the animal's rigid, upturned limbs, which create a stark silhouette against the barren ground.

Dix employs a harsh, graphic style to convey the decay and desolation of the scene. The etching technique allows for a high degree of textural detail, particularly in the rendering of the horse's hide and the churned earth. By removing the romanticised notions of heroism often associated with military imagery, Dix presents a cold, objective view of destruction. The work avoids sentimentality, choosing instead to confront the viewer with the physical consequences of combat.

This print is part of a portfolio that remains one of the most significant artistic responses to the trauma of the First World War. The stark contrast between the black ink and the white paper emphasises the bleakness of the subject matter. Through his precise, unflinching observation, Dix captures the grotesque nature of death in the trenches. The work functions as a historical document, reflecting the disillusionment felt by many in the aftermath of the conflict. It is a piece that demands attention for its technical skill and its refusal to look away from the realities of human and animal suffering during wartime.