Portrait of Mr. Bittermann

Portrait of Mr. Bittermann — Otto Dix. 1923.

Medium: Gouache and watercolor, with scraping, over graphite, on ivory wove paper. Dimensions: 54.4 × 46.2 cm (21 7/16 × 18 1/4 in.).

Collection record: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.

While many of the subjects for Dix's portraits can be identified, his watercolor portraits are often embodiments of a stereotype, providing an outlet for his critical attacks on society. Dix's portrait of Mr. Bittermann is an example of this type of depiction. He presents us with an image of the quintessential, hardnosed profiteer: the Bitter Man, unable to see beyond the glare that clouds his vision and apparently blind to the ills he perpetuates in the economy.

Description: © Art Institute of Chicago, original record, CC BY 4.0. HTML formatting removed; wording retained. Other artwork metadata: CC0.

Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.