ERNST LUDWIG KIRCHNER (1880-1938)


Weiblicher Akt pen and ink on paper17 5/8 x 13 5/8 in (44.8 x 34.6 cm)Executed circa 1908
|This work is listed in the Ernst Ludwig Kirchner Archives, Wichtrach/Bern.ProvenanceSale: Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, January 24, 1963, lot 50.Acquired at the above sale.Kirchner's Weiblicher Akt is an arresting female nude that perfectly encapsulates the exuberant vitality that defines Kirchner's artistic oeuvre. The work was executed shortly after the establishment of the Die Brucke group, for which Kirchner used his studio space as a source of inspiration; a physical and idyllic escape from the social conventions of Dresden. In the early years, the female nude served as the foundation among the Die Brucke artists. Rather than having professional models, the models were usually friends with the artists and part of their larger social circle. Poses were limited to quarterly hour time frames to encourage constant energy and spontaneity. In Weiblicher Akt, Kirchner's draughtsmanship is reduced to the simple curves that create an abstracted female figure, with the bold and direct brushstrokes illustrating Kirchner's transcription of the ephemeral moment. The minimal composition leaves bare swaths of the paper, creating a lightness and sense of freedom throughout the scene. The woman's natural and relaxed pose, facing directly frontal towards the viewer, emphasizes her unabashed nudity and encapsulates the openly sexual and euphoric atmosphere that defined Kirchner's famous studio.