The Red Tower in Halle

In this painting, a solitary tram crosses a stark market square in Halle, dominated by the towering Red Tower. The 15th-century neo-Gothic bell tower, rendered in a vibrant red, rises above a brick building, while the four spires of the Marktkirche stand to the left. The perspective is steeply plunging, almost flattening the scene against the canvas, a characteristic of Expressionist works. Clouds of smoke in the distance hint at the ongoing First World War, an unsettling backdrop to the deserted urban landscape. Created in 1915, the year of his military service and subsequent breakdown, this work captures a sense of unease and isolation, reflecting the artist's personal turmoil and the broader anxieties of the time.