Artwork
Street Scene with a Cripple and a Praying Man
Street Scene with a Cripple and a Praying Man is an ink print by René Beeh. It dates from 1921 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
René Beeh’s 1921 lithograph *Street Scene with a Cripple and a Praying Man* depicts a bustling stairwell populated by a crowd of figures. Rendered on laid cream paper, the print captures a moment of everyday movement, with people ascending, descending, and pausing on the steps.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a narrow staircase where a range of characters—an elderly man with a book, a disabled figure, and a man in prayer—share the confined space. Their expressions are muted, suggesting fatigue or resignation rather than overt emotion, inviting viewers to contemplate the anonymity of urban life.
Technique & Style
Beeh employed the lithographic process, using swift, dark lines that convey immediacy. The figures are rendered with exaggerated heads and simplified forms, a stylistic choice that emphasizes the density of the crowd and the urgency of the scene without detailed realism.
History & Provenance
Created shortly after World War I, the work reflects the artist’s interest in post‑war social conditions. The print remains catalogued among Beeh’s early 1920s output and is held in several European print collections, though its exact exhibition history is limited.
Artist & collection
