Laying out the March Dead

Laying out the March Dead (German: Aufbahrung der Märzgefallenen) is an oil painting by the German artist Adolph Menzel, from 1848. It shows a crowd of people on Berlin's Gendarmenmarkt. The figures are attending the Coffin Laying of civilians who died during the Berlin March Revolution. Menzel attended the ceremony and during the event – or shortly afterward – he began work on the first studies for the painting. The lower left corner of the painting is not executed in oil paint, which is why most scholars consider it to be unfinished. Art historians disagree about the possible political or aesthetic motives of the painter for this. The painting belongs to the group of revolutionary paintings that were rarely created in Germany.

Menzel did not follow the guidelines of traditional history painting with his painting. On the one hand, art critics categorized it as "historical painting of the present", on the other hand, the classification as "historical painting" was rejected altogether. The Laying out of the March Fallen initially played no role in public perception, as it remained in the painter's artist's studio. Shortly before the turn of the century, it was sold to a private gallery in Zurich and only came into the possession of the Hamburger Kunsthalle in 1902, which made it accessible to the public for the first time.

Description The painting is an oil paint canvas measuring 45 × 63 centimeters.Werner Busch: Adolph Menzel, Leben und Werk, Beck, München 2004, ISBN 978-3-406-52191-1, p. 87. The viewer looks slightly elevated over a crowd of people gathered in front of the northern portico of the German Cathedral on Berlin's Gendarmenmarkt. Most of the coffins have already been placed on the steps of the church.Françoise Forster-Hahn: Das unfertige Bild und sein fehlendes Publikum. Adolph Menzels „Aufbahrung der Märzgefallenen“ als visuelle Verdichtung politischen Wandels. In: Uwe Fleckner (Hrsg.): Bilder machen Geschichte: Historische Ereignisse im Gedächtnis der Kunst. De Gruyter, Berlin 2014, ISBN 978-3-05-006317-1, p. 267–279, here p. 269. They form a pyramid-shaped, blurred-looking dark spot,Ulrike Ruttmann: Die Tradition der Märzrevolution. In: Lothar Gall (Hrsg.) Aufbruch zur Freiheit. Eine Ausstellung des Deutschen Historischen Museums und der Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt. Nicolai, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-87584-680-X, p. 164. which is shifted slightly to the left of the center of the painting.Michael Fried: Menzels Realismus. Kunst und Verkörperung im Berlin des 19. Jahrhunderts (Bild und Text), Paderborn 2008, ISBN 978-3-7705-4394-6, p. 231. In its center – at the height of the horizontal horizon line – is the vanishing point of the painting.Werner Busch: Adolph Menzel, Leben und Werk, Beck, München 2004, ISBN 978-3-406-52191-1, p. 89. The central axis of the picture is emphasized on the left by a group of mourners and on the right by the staircase walls of the Schauspielhaus.Werner Busch: Adolph Menzel, Leben und Werk, Beck, München 2004, ISBN 978-3-406-52191-1, p. 91.

The crowd in the foreground takes up most of the picture. It makes way for another light brown coffin, which is also to be placed on the steps of the German Cathedral.Susanne von Falkenhausen: „Zeitzeuge der Leere. Zum Scheitern nationaler Bildformeln bei Menzel“, in: Claude Keisch/Marie Ursula RiemannReyher (Ed.), Ausstellungskatalog Adolph Menzel. 1815–1905, das Labyrinth der Wirklichkeit, Berlin 1996, ISBN 978-3-7701-3704-6, p. 494–502, here p. 499. Most people have their eyes on the coffins, but some are engrossed in conversation.Ulrike Ruttmann: Die Tradition der Märzrevolution. In: Lothar Gall (Hrsg.) Aufbruch zur Freiheit. Eine Ausstellung des Deutschen Historischen Museums und der Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt. Nicolai, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-87584-680-X, p. 164. As the American historian Peter Paret assumes, they seem to be discussing the events of the last few days and the future. More people can be seen in front of the staircase wall of the theater, reading the announcements posted there.Peter Paret: Kunst als Geschichte. Kultur und Politik von Menzel bis Fontane. Beck, München 1990, ISBN 3-406-34425-9, p. 115.

The Berlin vigilante group has taken up position next to the light brown coffin.Françoise Forster-Hahn: Das unfertige Bild und sein fehlendes Publikum. Adolph Menzels „Aufbahrung der Märzgefallenen“ als visuelle Verdichtung politischen Wandels. In: Uwe Fleckner (Ed..): Bilder machen Geschichte: Historische Ereignisse im Gedächtnis der Kunst. De Gruyter, Berlin 2014, ISBN 978-3-05-006317-1, p. 267–279, here p. 269. It prevents spectators from entering the immediate vicinity of the coffins set up on the cathedral steps. A group of three figures attempting to bypass the barrier from the steps of the Schauspielhaus are turned back by a member of the vigilante group. Two of them are already about to turn back. However, the third person remains standing and looks towards the coffins.Werner Busch: Adolph Menzel, Leben und Werk, Beck, München 2004, ISBN 978-3-406-52191-1, p. 89. On the right-hand edge of the picture, several figures have settled on the walls of the playhouse, probably for a better view.Ulrike Ruttmann: Die Tradition der Märzrevolution. In: Lothar Gall (Hrsg.) Aufbruch zur Freiheit. Eine Ausstellung des Deutschen Historischen Museums und der Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt. Nicolai, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-87584-680-X, p. 164. In the left background, black-red-gold flags adorn several houses. They symbolize the demand for national unity of Germany.Peter Paret: Kunst als Geschichte. Kultur und Politik von Menzel bis Fontane. Beck, München 1990, ISBN 3-406-34425-9, p. 115. The national colors also appear in the foreground: On the right, below the light brown coffin, a little girl is listlessly carrying a black, red and gold flag upside down while talking to a taller girl.Detlef Hoffmann: Die lebendigen Toten. Zur Genese revolutionärer Toten- und Märtyrerbilder in Deutschland 1848/49, in: Ulrich Großmann (Ed.), 1848. Das Europa der Bilder (Ausstellungskataloge des Germanischen Nationalmuseums, Nürnberg), Nürnberg 1998, ISBN 978-3-926982-57-5, S. 69–87, here p. 78. Next to both, a gentleman in a green coat appears to be facing the viewer. He is the largest-looking figure in the picture,Michael Fried: Menzels Realismus. Kunst und Verkörperung im Berlin des 19. Jahrhunderts (Bild und Text), Paderborn 2008, ISBN 978-3-7705-4394-6, p. 232. which also stands out from its surroundings due to its darker appearance.Peter Paret: Kunst als Geschichte. Kultur und Politik von Menzel bis Fontane. Beck, München 1990, ISBN 3-406-34425-9, p. 115. The dome of the German Cathedral is left out of the picture.Ulrike Ruttmann: Die Tradition der Märzrevolution. In: Lothar Gall (Hrsg.) Aufbruch zur Freiheit. Eine Ausstellung des Deutschen Historischen Museums und der Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt. Nicolai, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-87584-680-X, p. 164.

Menzel captured the social heterogeneity of the crowd; we can see bourgeoisie, craftsmen, students and members of the militia, as well as some women, children and a worker.Ulrike Ruttmann: Die Tradition der Märzrevolution. In: Lothar Gall (Hrsg.) Aufbruch zur Freiheit. Eine Ausstellung des Deutschen Historischen Museums und der Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt. Nicolai, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-87584-680-X, p. 164. According to Peter Paret, most of the people depicted belong to groups that made up the majority of the barricade fighters, above all journeymen, master craftsmen and the social middle class.Peter Paret: Kunst als Geschichte. Kultur und Politik von Menzel bis Fontane. Beck, München 1990, ISBN 3-406-34425-9, p. 118. Although uniforms were usually worn at public gatherings, most citizens – apart from the students – were dressed in civilian clothes.Peter Paret: Kunst als Geschichte. Kultur und Politik von Menzel bis Fontane. Beck, München 1990, ISBN 3-406-34425-9, p. 116. Although the figures form themselves partially around the coffin, they do not take up a ceremonial position.Werner Busch: Adolph Menzel, Leben und Werk. Beck, München 2004, ISBN 978-3-406-52191-1, p. 85–91, here p. 90.

The underdrawing in the lower left corner of the picture was not painted over in color.Karin Gludovatz: Nicht zu übersehen. Der Künstler als Figur der Peripherie in Adolph Menzels „Aufbahrung der Märzgefallenen in Berlin“ (1848). In: Edith Futscher u. a. (Hrsg.): Was aus dem Bild gefällt. Figuren des Details in Kunst und Literatur. München u. a. 2007, ISBN 978-3-7705-4347-2, p. 237–263, here p. 241. The area also contains the artist's signature "Ad. Menzel 1848" and two mourning female figures. Their gaze is directed towards the ground. To their right, a male figure belonging to the militia is looking at the coffin being carried towards the church. He carries a rifle over his shoulder and strikes an upright, proud pose. To his left, several students form a trellis around the coffin. In the foreground of the scene, a gentleman in upper-class dress has pulled out his top hat. He is paying his respects to the coffin, but also to the man of the vigilante group. At the same time, his gaze is turned away from the actual events in front of the German Cathedral.Karin Gludovatz: Nicht zu übersehen. Der Künstler als Figur der Peripherie in Adolph Menzels „Aufbahrung der Märzgefallenen in Berlin“ (1848). In: Edith Futscher u. a. (Hrsg.): Was aus dem Bild gefällt. Figuren des Details in Kunst und Literatur. München u. a. 2007, ISBN 978-3-7705-4347-2, p. 237–263, here p. 252. The figure keeps his left hand in a coat pocket and stands in an empty, semi-circular space.Christopher B. With: Adolph von Menzel and the German Revolution of 1848. In: Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte 24 (1979), p. 195–215, here p. 209.

History The historical event and the artist

The painter of the picture Adolph Menzel was one of the most important representatives of Realism, a style of unembellished, detailed pictorial representation. During his long life (1815–1905), the artist witnessed numerous socio-political events. These included the political developments of the Revolutionary Year 1848, which were inextricably linked to the painting.Albert Boime: Social Identity and Political Authority in the Response of Two Prussian Painters to the Revolution of 1848, in: Art History 13/1990, p. 365–383, here p. 369. This year saw violent confrontations in European capitals such as Paris and Vienna. On March 18/19, heavy street fighting between civilians and royal soldiers also took place in Berlin. The aims of the insurgents in Berlin included a liberal Prussian constitution, freedom of the press and a German nation state. More than 300 civilians and 20 soldiers fell victim to the fighting. The revolutionaries who died went down in history as the so-called March martyrs. After King Frederick William IV was unable to resolve the situation in the streets of Berlin militarily in his favour and withdrew his soldiers from Berlin, the burial of the March martyrs was organized.Karin Gludovatz: Nicht zu übersehen. Der Künstler als Figur der Peripherie in Adolph Menzels „Aufbahrung der Märzgefallenen in Berlin“ (1848). In: Edith Futscher u. a. (Ed.): Was aus dem Bild gefällt. Figuren des Details in Kunst und Literatur. München u. a. 2007, ISBN 978-3-7705-4347-2, p. 237–263, here p. 239.