{"product_id":"the-red-egg-oskar-kokoschka-1","title":"The Red Egg - Oskar Kokoschka","description":"\u003cp\u003eA biting political allegory by Oskar Kokoschka, painted in 1940 to critique the Munich Agreement and the annexation of Czechoslovakia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePainted during his exile in London, The Red Egg is a biting political allegory by Oskar Kokoschka. The work functions as a critique of the Munich Agreement of 1938, which allowed Nazi Germany to annex the Sudetenland. The central motif, a solitary red egg on a plate, represents the dismembered state of Czechoslovakia, served up as a meal for the aggressors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKokoschka employs a chaotic, aggressive application of paint to convey his disdain for the political figures involved. To the left, a figure wearing a mitre marked with a swastika represents the complicity of the church, while the large, grotesque head on the right serves as a caricature of the political leadership of the time. Beneath the table, a cat sits, observing the scene with a sense of detachment. In the background, the city of Prague is depicted in flames, a direct reference to the destruction wrought by the conflict. The inclusion of the text 'In Pace Munich' acts as a sardonic commentary on the false peace promised by the agreement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition is deliberately crowded and unsettling, reflecting the artist's personal trauma and his reaction to the geopolitical collapse of Europe. Kokoschka uses a palette of jarring greens, yellows, and deep reds to heighten the sense of urgency and moral outrage. The brushwork is thick and gestural, typical of his mature expressionist style, which prioritises emotional impact over representational accuracy. This piece remains a significant example of how artists used their practice to respond to the rise of fascism during the Second World War, moving away from traditional portraiture to engage with the political realities of the era.\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=\"\/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=\"\/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":58841233883471,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58841273925967,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58841273958735,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58841273991503,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58841274024271,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/The-Red-Egg_Poster_CompositorV1_1789993972545.jpg?v=1789994736","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/the-red-egg-oskar-kokoschka-1","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}