A Favorite: Lyonel Feininger's Kin-Der-Kids

From The Kin-Der-Kids, by Lyonel Feininger

Right before art school, I ran across this picture in an anthology. It was infatuation at first sight, mostly because it instantly recalled W. Heath Robinson's illustration of Uncle Lubin in his balloon, but also because the characters and composition of the frame are perfect. 

Nonsensical and illogical art and literature have always been fascinations, and this phase of Feininger's works is electrifying to me. The comic ran in the Chicago Tribune on Sundays from April 1906 to November 1906.

The expressionistic figures are creepy and humorous, and the dialog is hilarious. I love the Aunt's quaint comments, and the cat's observations just kill me.

Mother of Moses!

 This frame from the strip is another one that hits the sweet spot.

There's a Dover edition of the complete strip that you can find here:

Amazon Link

If you aren't familiar with Feininger's other works--which include paintings, woodcuts, and intriguing wooden toys--be sure to look into them. There's a lot of info to be had, and this link gives a good take on Feininger:

Feininger Blog Post

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