Blake, Ludwig Meidner and Expressionism

Abstract

Ludwig Meidner (1884–1966), who belonged to the mystical wing of German expressionism, was forced to leave Germany in 1939. It was during his exile years that Meidner’s new style matured, and this ran alongside his continuing appreciation of Blake. My article examines the British context of Meidner’s engagement with Blake and outlines how he understood Blake’s art in a cultural setting shaped by neo-romanticism. In parallel, it examines how Meidner’s art relates to the symbolism and existential reality of exile.