Magic realism, a term coined by Franz Roh, finds a sense of “mystery” in the mundane by depicting ordinary objects with a vibrating, dreamlike intensity.
New Objectivity, or Neue Sachlichkeit, rejected the emotional distortion of Expressionism in favor of a cold, clinical, and “matter-of-fact” photographic precision.
While both movements utilized a realistic style, Magic Realism looked for wonder in the quiet corners of life, whereas New Objectivity used the brush as a scalpel for biting social critique.
These movements captured the “uncanny” nature of post-WWI Germany, making familiar scenes feel fundamentally “off” or unsettling to the viewer.
Together, they documented the fragile stability of the Weimar Republic, stripping away romantic veils to reveal the alienation and grit of a society in transition.
My notes on Magic Realism and New Objectivity
56-01 Magic Realism (to be published on 11 July 2026)
A discussion on Magic Realism and New Objectivity (created by NotebookLM from my notes):