“New Chair at the German Universities (AIZ),” a notable photomontage by John Heartfield, was created in 1933. This artwork belongs to the Dada art movement and falls under the genre of illustration.
The artwork depicts a figure with exaggerated, dehumanized features, prominently featuring a large telescope and a blackboard with anatomical drawings of feet. The figure, dressed in a suit, is strikingly atypical, seemingly gazing through the telescope while sitting at a desk. The figure’s eyes prominently display the swastika symbol, enhancing the artwork’s political commentary. The blackboard in the background showcases labeled sketches of feet, contributing to the surreal and critical nature characteristic of Dadaism. The overall tones are muted, predominantly in browns and grays, reinforcing the serious tone of the socio-political critique embedded in the composition.
