Liegende Auf Der Couch 1919

Otto Mueller made ‘Liegende Auf Der Couch,’ or ‘Reclining Woman on a Couch,’ a pastel drawing, sometime before 1930. Mueller was associated with the German Expressionist group Die Brücke, who sought to challenge academic art traditions. This drawing captures a nude woman lounging, casually posed, in what might be the intimate setting of her own home. Her body is rendered in soft yellows, contrasting with the cooler blues and pinks of the couch and background. The visible, gestural marks of the pastel sticks create a sense of immediacy, inviting the viewer into a private moment of repose. During the early 20th century, artists like Mueller were exploring new ways of representing the human figure, often departing from traditional ideals of beauty. Instead, they focused on expressing inner emotions and subjective experiences. This shift reflected broader changes in society, including evolving attitudes toward sexuality, gender roles, and personal freedom. Here, the woman's relaxed posture and direct gaze challenges conventional objectification, inviting us to consider her as an individual with her own thoughts and feelings.