zum konkret Dargestellten

23:21 Nov 5, 2008 

Thanks to all who replied. I think each of the proposals contributed to shaping the best answer, but none satisfied me in itself. What I wrote was: "They are characterized by their substantial disparity from the subject depicted." I decided that keeping the word "distance" is too easily understood in spatial terms (as I misunderstood it originally, in my rotten translation). It is true that "disparity" is not used in the German, but I think the meaning is conveyed more clearly by it in English (disparity between the subject of the painting and the Expressionist rendering). I also decided to remove "concretely," since it only adds confusion in English (you would not really say it that way). Since Kudoz askers are not allowed to divide points among answerers, I am choosing Bea's answer, but amending it for the glossary to reflect the changes suggested by Amorel and Helen.
This was a lot of work for a 500-word translation!

13:40 Nov 5, 2008 

Don't feel bad! Your answer put me immediately on the right track. I discounted "portraited" as a typo, or wrong English by a non-native speaker. As a native speaker, I can recognize wrong English when I see it -- it's German that gives me trouble sometimes! (I don't think the "disagree" comments were negative; people are just trying to refine the translation and correct any errors.) So please, your help is invaluable!
Susan