Christian Schad and the Neue Sachlichkeit, edited by Jill Lloyd and Michael Peppiatt.

Schirmer/Mosel Verlag, Munich in association with Neue Galerie, New York, 2003.  Hardcover, fine with very good dust jacket that has a few thin scratches and small indentations, and a crimp at bottom corner of inner front panel. Issued in connection with an exhibition at Neue Galerie. 260 pages. Christian Schad (1894-1982) was a leading figure in the Neue Saclichkeit (New Objectivity) movement of the 1920s whose oeuvre featured a wide range of subjects including erotic portraits among other work including photograms he called Schadographs that he made while a member of the Dada group in 1919. This monograph was the most extensive English language publication on Schad at time of publication, with seven informative essays and reproductions of his paintings, drawings, photograms, and art in other media. Summary:

Christian Schad and the Neue Sachlichkeit, edited by Jill Lloyd and Michael Peppiatt, is an illustrated exhibition catalogue that examines the life and work of Christian Schad and his role in the Neue Sachlichkeit of the 1920s.

The book was published in connection with a major retrospective exhibition and provides a comprehensive study of Schad’s career. Through scholarly essays and more than 140 reproductions of paintings, drawings, woodcuts, and experimental photograms known as “Schadographs,” the volume explores how Schad combined precise realism with psychological tension and subtle symbolism.

The essays place Schad’s work within the cultural and social atmosphere of post–World War I Europe, particularly the urban life of Vienna and Berlin during the Weimar period. His sharply detailed portraits—often depicting fashionable, unconventional figures—capture the complexity, decadence, and uncertainty of the era.

Overall, the book shows how Schad and other New Objectivity artists reacted against earlier Expressionism by adopting a cool, observational style that portrayed modern society with clarity and realism.

In short:
The book provides a detailed exploration of Christian Schad’s art and its historical context, highlighting how his portraits and experimental works helped define the New Objectivity movement and reflect the social tensions of the 1920s.