Artwork
Two Bathers
Two Bathers is a watercolor drawing by Otto Mueller. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:recto, lower right in black crayon: Otto Muller: verso, lower right corner, in grpahite: 3
- Markings
- Marked:verso, stamp in black ink: LJR National Gallery
About this work
Overview
Created around 1920, Two Bathers is a drawing by Otto Mueller, a prominent figure in German Expressionism, executed in transparent watercolor and colored crayons on wove paper.
Subject & Meaning
The work features a nude scene, a common theme in Mueller's body of work, characterized by his distinctive stylization and lyrical interpretation of the human figure.
Technique & Style
Mueller's approach in Two Bathers blends transparent watercolor with colored crayons, reflecting his Expressionist affinity for expressive, stylized forms.
History & Provenance
While the exact provenance of Two Bathers is not detailed here, its creation circa 1920 situates it within Mueller's active period with the Die Brücke movement.
Context
As part of early 20th-century German Expressionism, Two Bathers contributes to a broader artistic movement emphasizing emotional intensity and distortion of forms.
Legacy
Through works like Two Bathers, Mueller contributed significantly to the development of Expressionist drawing, influencing subsequent generations with his lyrical, stylized human forms.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Otto Mueller (16 October 1874 – 24 September 1930) was a German painter and printmaker of the Die Brücke expressionist movement.
