Artwork

Weiblicher Akt (Female Nude)

Weiblicher Akt (Female Nude), by Lovis Corinth, ink, 1916
Weiblicher Akt (Female Nude), by Lovis Corinth, ink, 1916

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

Portrait of Lovis Corinth

Artist

Lovis Corinth

Lovis Corinth was a German artist and writer whose mature work as a painter and printmaker realized a synthesis of impressionism and expressionism.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.