This is a drawing of a scene in a fairground or carousel setting. The image features an abstract, woodcut-style illustration, depicting figures riding on carousel animals. The animals appear to be elaborately designed, possibly elephants or similar creatures, with geometric patterns. The figures atop the animals seem to be engaged in various activities, with some positioned as if they are playing musical instruments. The composition includes dynamic lines that suggest movement and festivity. The text above the image contains a poem in German, titled "Fröhlichkeit," which translates to "Joy."…
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Fröhlichkeit (Joyfulness) (in-text plate) from mock-up of Georg Heym: Umbra Vitae (Georg Heym: Shadow of Life)

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (German, 1880 - 1938)

and author Georg Heym (German, born Poland, 1887 - 1912)

printer Spamersche Buchdruckerei, Leipzig

publisher Kurt Wolff (German, 1887 - 1963)

1912/1922

Medium
woodcut from a bound volume with 51 woodcuts (including cover and front and back endpapers) on wove paper
Classification
Volume
Dimensions
book: 21.7 × 14.5 × 1.3 cm (8 9/16 × 5 11/16 × 1/2 in.)
Culture
German
Museum
National Gallery of Art, CG-W
Credit line
Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen
Rights
Public domain (NGA Open Access, CC0), as the museum states it.
Who can see it
Tweens profiles and older: its subjects are known and suit older children. How works are placed

View at the National Gallery of Art