Art Funded by you

Germania (To the Brothel)

RB Kitaj, 1985–1987

© The artist courtesy of Marlborough Fine Art

Kitaj visited Hamburg in 1985 and witnessed this scene while out for a walk in the St. Pauli district, the artist appears to the left of the painting. He described seeing the young man as 'not exactly an Elephant Man, but some halfway point there...malformed throughout his body'. Kitaj followed the man to a brothel where he hovered at the entrance but did not enter. Kitaj also mentions the snake-like tree, 'Adonis was born from a tree and relates to my anti-Adonis.'

More information

Title of artwork, date

Germania (To the Brothel), 1985–1987

Date supported

1989

Medium and material

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

121 x 91 cm

Grant

7000

Total cost

32200

Content note: This object record is part of our archive and has not been updated since it was first published. It may contain inaccurate information or outdated language. Please get in touch if you think this record should be amended.

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