Why were Ludwig Meidner's distorted scenes called apocalyptic landscapes?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

van de Velde, Adriaen: River Landscape in the Late Afternoon — Landscape painting *River Landscape in the Late Afternoon*, oil on canvas by Adriaen van de Velde, 1663; in a private collection.

Ludwig Meidner’s distorted cityscapes are known as "apocalyptic landscapes" because they erupt with imagery of catastrophe, destruction, and doom. These works, created primarily during his time in Berlin, feature fantastical, distorted compositions that often depict explosions and figures fleeing in terror.1

The term reflects two primary influences:
* Historical Context: The paintings capture the atmosphere of chaos and anxiety that permeated society in the years leading up to World War I.1
* Thematic Inspiration: Meidner was deeply interested in biblical prophets and their visions of destruction, which he translated into an Expressionist aesthetic.1

Notable examples of this style include I and the City (1913) and Burning City (1913). His 1916 painting The Last Day is considered his final work in this series, depicting a destroyed world in the tradition of the Last Judgment.1