Nude Figure [reverse]

1907

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

Associated Names
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

Artist, German, 1880 - 1938

In this tall, thin painting, a nude person stands in a strange position. Their lower body is seen from the back, while their upper body appears to face us, with their head turned towards the left. The individual has light skin and short, dark hair styled close to their scalp, partially covering their forehead. The person holds a thin white fabric or cloth in both hands, and it appears to drape around their shoulders and behind them. The background features a bold palette of colors, with a vivid yellow area on the top and right and a black rectangle on the left, framing the figure's lower body. The floor beneath the figure is a muted green color.

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Artwork overview

Associated Artworks

This tall, vertical painting shows two nude women next to each other, one standing and one sitting. The women both have light skin painted in shades of cream and pale yellow, with highlights of seafoam green, dark blue, and magenta. The seated woman faces us, turned slightly to the right, while the standing woman has her back to us, facing the left and partially blocking the seated woman. Both women appear to have dark hair, although their hair and the edges of their faces blur together against a patch of dark green in the background. Outside of this green patch, the wall behind them is a vibrant orange with streaks of dark and light green. The floor beneath the women is a bright coral color with swirling patterns in yellow and green, like a patterned rug. Below the chair under the seated woman is a patch of dark red with dark green lines. The brushstrokes in the painting are thick and bold, layering bright colors over one another.

Two Nudes [obverse]

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

1907

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

The artist; his estate; (Galerie Roman Norbert Ketterer, Lugano); purchased 26 December 1978 by Mr. and Mrs. Wallace F. Holladay, Washington, D.C., and Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Kainen, Chevy Chase, Maryland; gift 1979 to NGA.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1992

  • Ernst Ludwig Kirchner: Paintings, Drawings and Prints, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1992, no cat.

1997

  • Body, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 1997, no. 74, repro.

2003

  • Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, 1880-1938 [London title: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner: The Dresden and Berlin Years], National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2003, no. 7, repro.

2005

  • Brüke: The birth of German Expressionism (Brüke: El naixement de l'expressionisme alemany), Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid; Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Barcelona; Berlinische Galerie, 2005-2006, no. 36, repro.

2010

  • Ernst Ludwig Kirchner: Retrospecitve, Städel Museum, Frankfurt, 2010, no. 80, repro.

2012

  • Ernst Ludwig Kirchner 1880-1938, Instituto de Cultura, Fundación MAPFRE, Madrid, 2012, no. 60, repro.

2019

  • Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (Neue), Neue Galerie New York, New York, 2019 - 2020, unnumbered catalogue.

Bibliography

1968

  • Gordon, Donald E. Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1968: 331, no. 440c, repro.

Wikidata ID

Q20191117

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