Objects

The interior of a wooden and earthen shelter with a soldier operating a heavy machine gun. This lithograph, unique in the whole portfolio, can be classified as strictly battle-related, unlike the others. Due to the nature and location of the narrative, it can be assumed that the artist used photography in this case – sketching this particular scene from nature seems less likely. It is known that single photographs were helpful for Gottlieb in composing some drawings. | Gottlieb dedicated his lithograph to Major General Maximilian Ritter von Hoen (1867-1940), who headed the press office of the C.K. War Ministry and who from 1916 was the director of the War Archive in Vienna. As an Austrian subject and also a talented artist, with the outbreak of war Gottlieb could have applied for a job at the C.K. War Press Quarters (KPQ) also headed by von Hoen, which involved relatively safe documentation of the conflict at the front. However, he chose to volunteer for the Polish Legions. | AT