Series upon the Theme of Christ

drawings by Klinger

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

Max Klinger's Series upon the Theme of Christ is a collection of pen-and-ink drawings that caused a stir upon their exhibition in 1878 due to their daring originality. Klinger, a German painter, sculptor, and engraver, was known for his art that explored themes of symbolism, fantasy, and dreamlike situations, reflecting a growing late 19th-century interest in the subtleties of the mind. While not always technically perfect, his visionary art deeply influenced artists like Giorgio de Chirico. Klinger's work often leaned towards the gruesome and grotesque, as seen in his series inspired by Francisco de Goya.1

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

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Max Klinger
…two series of pen-and-ink drawings—Series upon the Theme of Christ and Fantasies upon the Finding of a Glove. Their daring originality caused an outburst of indignation; nonetheless, the Glove series, on which Klinger’s contemporary reputation is based, was bought by the Berlin National Gallery. These 10 drawings (engraved in…
Read More
…two series of pen-and-ink drawings—Series upon the Theme of Christ and Fantasies upon the Finding of a Glove. Their daring originality caused an outburst of indignation; nonetheless, the Glove series, on which Klinger’s contemporary reputation is based, was bought by the Berlin National Gallery. These 10 drawings (engraved in…
Read More