Poor Woman

The significance of headscarves in Werner Berg’s work merits special emphasis. With regard to formal considerations, there is a fundamental difference between the bare-headed men and the women’s heads wrapped in kerchiefs. The headscarf offers exceptional opportunities for formal reduction. The head form, hair and ears remain hidden under the kerchief. By veiling certain elements it unifies the overall form, while the form of the headscarf itself is left up to the artist’s discretion. Sometimes it hangs down “hopelessly”, as in this painting, where it shows the poor woman’s despondency, while on other occasions it signals a joyful mood on the way to church. The headscarf always conveys its wearer’s inner feeling, and thus it becomes an important means of expression.