Liegender Weiblicher Akt.—Studie zu "Joseph und Potiphar" (Reclining Female Nude—Study for "Joseph and Potiphar's Wife")

Executed as a drypoint, the work relies on incised lines that hold black ink, producing rich, velvety tones on the textured laid paper. Corinth’s handling of line is vigorous and gestural, conveying volume and movement without shading. The approach reflects his post‑stroke transition toward a looser, more expressive handling of form.

Corinth, a German painter and writer trained in Paris and Munich, was a prominent member of the Berlin Secession, later serving as its president. After a debilitating stroke in 1911, his style shifted, merging impressionistic light with expressionist vigor. This study was produced during that period, serving as a step toward the final canvas version of the biblical scene.

The print belongs to a broader early‑20th‑century German interest in revisiting classical and biblical subjects through a modern lens. Corinth’s work bridges academic tradition and emerging expressionist tendencies, positioning the nude not merely as an academic exercise but as a vehicle for emotional and psychological exploration.