Artwork
Weiblicher Akt (Female Nude)

Weiblicher Akt (Female Nude) is an ink print by Lovis Corinth. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Weiblicher Akt (Female Nude), created by Lovis Corinth in 1916, is a drypoint print on laid paper, characterized by expressive, loose lines depicting a reclining nude figure.
Subject & Meaning
The print features a nude female figure, a common subject in Corinth's work, here rendered in a simplified form emphasizing curves, shadows, and the dynamic flow of hair and limbs across the page.
Technique & Style
Executed in drypoint, the work showcases Corinth's post-1911 stylistic shift towards expressionism, marked by quick, scratchy lines that evoke a sense of spontaneity, with the dark, bold marks contrasting against the predominantly blank paper.
History & Provenance
Created in 1916, after Corinth's stylistic transition following a stroke in 1911, the piece reflects his later expressionist approach, diverging from his earlier naturalist beginnings.
Context
Part of Corinth's broader oeuvre that frequently explored the nude figure, Weiblicher Akt sits within his post-1911 expressionist output, influenced by his experiences and artistic evolution in Berlin.
Legacy
As part of Corinth's later works, Weiblicher Akt contributes to the broader legacy of his expressionist period, illustrating the evolution of his technique and style in response to personal and artistic transformations.
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.













