Artwork
A Standing Nude
A Standing Nude is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Max Klinger. It dates from 1891 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1891, *A Standing Nude* is a black‑and‑white print that combines mezzotint and etching on Japanese paper. The composition centers on a solitary male figure, rendered in profile, with his left hand on his hip and his right hand near his abdomen. The background is uniformly dark, directing attention to the contours of the body and the expression on the face.
Subject & Meaning
The work presents an unclothed male form in a poised stance, emphasizing the physicality of the body rather than narrative content. By isolating the figure against an unadorned backdrop, the artist invites contemplation of the human form as an object of aesthetic inquiry, aligning with Symbolist interests in the inner qualities suggested by outward appearance.
Technique & Style
The resulting texture appears deliberately coarse, giving the image a sketch‑like vitality that was characteristic of late‑19th‑century print experimentation.
Klinger employed a hybrid process: fine lines were incised through etching, while tonal depth was achieved with mezzotint’s roughened surface. The resulting texture appears deliberately coarse, giving the image a sketch‑like vitality that was characteristic of late‑19th‑century print experimentation. The use of Japanese paper contributes a delicate absorbency that enhances the subtle gradations of tone.
History & Provenance
The print originates from Max Klinger, a German artist known for his multidisciplinary practice encompassing painting, sculpture, and graphic arts. Produced during a prolific period of his printmaking, the piece reflects his theoretical concerns about the role of graphic media within the broader visual arts. Its early ownership records are limited, but it has been documented in several catalogues of Klinger’s oeuvre.
Context
Klinger worked amid the currents of Symbolism and the emerging Vienna Secession and Jugendstil movements, which emphasized decorative lines and expressive forms. *A Standing Nude* exemplifies his engagement with these trends, merging Symbolist introspection with the stylized elegance associated with Art Nouveau, while also advancing his own ideas about the expressive potential of printmaking.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Max Klinger (18 February 1857 – 5 July 1920) was a German artist who produced significant work in painting, sculpture, prints and graphics, as well as writing a treatise articulating his ideas on art and the role of…
