Misogyny and meaning in Oskar Kokoschka's 'Moerder, Hoffnung der Frauen'

Artist Oskar Kokoschka created a varied body of work during fin-de-siecle Vienna. Notably his work Morder, Hoffnung der Frauen drew not only on the tumultuous discourse on gender and sexuality in Vienna but also on his struggles with the opposite sex. His work is typically considered a decisive break from the work of the Secessionists and the Klimt group. However, it is evident that the connection between the two is more nuanced. This study argues that Kokoschka's work can be considered an extension of the Klimt group through his treatment of the figures. In the drawing series Morder Hoffnung der Frauen, Kokoschka employs his own masculinized ornamentation. He suggests this through calligraphic markings on the exterior of the figures as well as decorative tattoo-like designs. It is Kokoschka's appropriation of ornamentation in his work that suggests both a connection to the Secessionists and decorative artists as well as the Expressionists.