Big Night down the Drain

Mediums: oil, canvas.
Location: The Ludwig Museum of Modern Art, Cologne (Germany).

In this work, which was inspired by the life story of Irish playwright Brendan Bien, known for his drunken adventures, Georg Baselitz used earthy brown shades, uncharacteristic of most of his works. The painting became the most controversial and scandalous creation of the artist – it is known for being seized by the police during a personal exhibition of Georg Baselitz at the Berlin gallery for its immoral content. The work depicting an ugly boy with a huge penis causes shock and disgust. The artist deliberately used such a scandalous image to stir up the audience, which is in apathy and disappointment after the war that was lost. Turning to Expressionism, the author forced the community to recall the lost values ​​of the pre-war era.