Artwork
Bust of a Woman, Seen from Behind
Bust of a Woman, Seen from Behind is a drawing by the Impressionist artist Adolph von Menzel. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This drawing, Bust of a Woman, Seen from Behind, is a late work by Adolph Menzel, created using a carpenter's pencil and stumping technique. It depicts a woman's head and shoulders from behind, capturing a fleeting moment.
Technique & Style
Menzel employed a carpenter's pencil, utilizing both its broad and sharp points to achieve varying effects. Stumping softened the lines, creating a sense of warmth and depth, particularly in the rendering of light on the subject's face and hat.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing focuses on the back of a woman's head, her loosely pinned hair, and the curve of her ear caught in light. The immediacy of the image, with the subject's mouth slightly open, suggests a captured moment, reflecting Menzel's interest in conveying a sense of naturalness.
Artist & collection
Artist
Adolph Friedrich Erdmann von Menzel was a German Realist artist noted for drawings, etchings, and paintings.
Mademoiselle Louise Riesener in a Hat
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Bust of a Young Woman in Profile
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Profile Head of a Woman
Study of the head for the painting “Symbolic dance”
Portrait of a young woman, sketch
Study: Bust of a Man