Artwork
Frauenbildnis (Portrait of a Woman)
Frauenbildnis (Portrait of a Woman) is an ink print by Lovis Corinth. It dates from 1914 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1914, *Frauenbildnis* is a drypoint print rendered entirely in black ink.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1914, *Frauenbildnis* is a drypoint print rendered entirely in black ink. The image presents a seated woman with her hands placed on her lap, short disheveled hair, and a loose sleeveless garment. The composition is executed with swift, gestural lines that give the work the appearance of a rapid study rather than a polished portrait.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is depicted in a relaxed pose, her posture and informal attire suggesting an intimate, perhaps informal, observation of the sitter. The lack of decorative detail directs attention to the overall silhouette and the interplay of light and shadow, emphasizing the presence of the woman rather than specific attributes.
Technique & Style
Corinth employed the drypoint method, incising the image directly onto a metal plate with a sharp needle, which yields characteristic burry lines and rich, velvety blacks. The print’s rough, quick strokes reflect the artist’s late style, where impressionistic handling merged with expressionistic vigor following his 1911 stroke.
History & Provenance
The work belongs to the period after Corinth’s 1911 cerebral hemorrhage, a time when his artistic approach shifted toward more expressive, emotionally charged renderings. It was produced during his later years in Germany, a phase marked by experimentation with printmaking alongside his painting practice.
Context
During the early 20th century, German art was navigating between naturalist traditions and emerging modernist currents. Corinth’s drypoint aligns with this transitional moment, integrating impressionistic attention to light with expressionist emphasis on psychological depth, situating the portrait within broader shifts in European art before World War I.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lovis Corinth was a German artist and writer whose mature work as a painter and printmaker realized a synthesis of impressionism and expressionism.
