Who painted Mädchen am Fenster (Girl by the Window)?

Mädchen am Fenster (Girl by the Window) was painted by Walter Gramatté in 1922.

Where can I see Mädchen am Fenster (Girl by the Window)?

Mädchen am Fenster (Girl by the Window) is held by National Gallery of Art.

Can I buy a print of Mädchen am Fenster (Girl by the Window)?

Museum-quality prints of Mädchen am Fenster (Girl by the Window) are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Mädchen am Fenster (Girl by the Window)

Walter Gramatté , 1922

Mädchen am Fenster (Girl by the Window) is a graphite drawing by Walter Gramatté. It dates from 1922 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Mädchen am Fenster (Girl by the Window) is a 1922 watercolor over graphite drawing by German expressionist Walter Gramatté. The piece depicts a solemnly posed girl seated by a window, characterized by expressive, symbolic elements and a blend of emotional depth and technical layering.

Subject & Meaning

The subject, a girl with a somber expression, is dressed in distinctive attire (blue shirt, yellow bow, dark green jacket, and bobbed dark hair) beside a cross-framed window with a glimpse of blue sky. Her gaze, directed to the right, suggests introspection or distraction, underscoring a sense of contemplative isolation.

Technique & Style

Gramatté's expressionist style is evident in the emotional intensity and symbolic imagery. The watercolor over graphite technique achieves a nuanced depth and texture, with the graphite underlayer providing definition and the watercolor adding expressive, vibrant hues (notably pink, red, and blue).

History & Provenance

Created in 1922 by Walter Gramatté, a German artist influenced by his wartime experiences and personal health struggles. Gramatté's career spanned multiple German cities and Spain, reflecting in his work a fusion of emotional and symbolic elements.

Context

Reflecting Gramatté's broader practice, Mädchen am Fenster combines the emotional intensity of expressionism with symbolic, mystical undertones, characteristic of his magic realism approach.

Legacy

As part of Gramatté's oeuvre, the work contributes to the understanding of German expressionist painting's thematic and technical evolution during the early 20th century.