About the Work
The revolutionary is presented not as a dynamic hero but as a monumental, almost petrified, statue. With his oversize head and eyes void of pupils, he is a historical figure who remains unapproachable. L.T. – Leon Trotsky, hero of the 1917 Russian Revolution – appears as though painted for eternity, a monument to a political movement. Stylistically reminiscent of the Mexican muralists’ two-dimensional manner of painting, the work today bears testimony to the utopian vision and ideals of a whole generation – as well as to their failure.
About the Acquisition
In 2010 the Städel Museum in Frankfurt acquired four main works of contemporary German art through a donation by Dorette Hildebrand-Staab. Despite the prevailing opinion at that time, the donor had recognised the significance of Georg Baselitz early on and encouraged and supported the artist for many years. The four paintings donated to the Städel collection had already been purchased by the patron in the 1960s - in part directly from the artist's own private collection.
