Artwork
The African
The African is an ink print by Max Pechstein. It dates from 1914 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
The painting is called The African, made by Max Pechstein in 1914.
It's a woodcut, a type of print made from wood.
The artist was part of a group that liked direct and natural art, influenced by objects from Africa and Oceania, which they saw in museums, and this woodcut presents the head and shoulders of a woman.
To learn more about this style, look up the technique: woodcut.
Overview
The African Medium: Woodcut is a 1914 woodcut by Max Hermann Pechstein, a German Expressionist artist and member of Die Brücke. This print exemplifies the group's emphasis on direct, natural expression through a preferred medium known for its raw, immediate qualities.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts the head and shoulders of a woman viewed from a low angle, her features boldly stylized. The influence of African sculpture is evident in the treatment of her face, neck, and breasts, while foliage in the background enhances the image's exotic character.
Technique & Style
Executed as a woodcut, the piece leverages the medium's inherent expressiveness and textured quality. Pechstein's stylization, particularly in the figure's rendering, reflects the Expressionist aesthetic, which valued instinctual and unrefined artistic expression.
History & Provenance
Created in 1914, during Pechstein's active involvement with Die Brücke, the woodcut's provenance is not detailed here, though its creation aligns with the group's peak activity and their fascination with non-European art forms.
Context
The work was influenced by Pechstein's exposure to African and Oceanian artifacts in Dresden and Berlin ethnographical museums. Although these cultures were viewed as 'primitive' at the time, they significantly impacted the development of Expressionist styles and themes.
Legacy
The African Medium: Woodcut contributes to the broader legacy of Die Brücke and German Expressionism, highlighting the movement's engagement with global cultures and its preference for expressive, unpolished mediums like woodcut printing.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Hermann Max Pechstein (German pronunciation: ; 31 December 1881 – 29 June 1955) was a German expressionist painter and printmaker and a member of the Die Brücke group.
