Book excerpt: This is the first publication to illuminate Neue Sachlichkeit against the backdrop of the Weimar Republic and National Socialism. Dix's works--including the key Metropolis triptych (1928-29), the great psychological portraits, and, last but not least, the landscapes with their hidden symbolism, painted during the years he spent at Lake Constance--form the starting point for this exploration of his oeuvre. They are placed in a context with works of art by George Grosz, Rudolf Schlichter, and Christian Schad, creating a new perspective on this crucial chapter in German art history.