Zittend naakt in geometrische zetel 1920

Curator: It's striking, isn't it? There's an almost oppressive sense of stillness. Editor: Yes, a very interesting impression for such a graphically striking piece. What is it? Curator: This linocut is entitled "Seated Nude in Geometric Chair" by Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita, created around 1920. We're fortunate to have it here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Mesquita, so before his tragic end in the Holocaust… Seeing it now, the harsh black and white really emphasizes the geometry. There's a rigid order, even within the seemingly relaxed pose of the nude. It's unnerving, the way she's constructed from lines and angles. Curator: Exactly! It speaks to a broader visual language. Notice how the vertical lines of the chair extend upwards, almost like prison bars. And then how those harsh lines echo the stylized geometric quality of the figure. This image seems to lock the female body within modern, constructed forms. I think we could extend this and propose that modernity traps us all… Editor: A heavy claim! But I see the point about formal control and its psychological effects. It feels like an uneasy compromise between artistic tradition and the emerging modern aesthetic of the era, a dance on the edge of representational art. The geometry seems to drain something vital. Is this tied to Expressionism at all? Curator: Absolutely. There's a definite expressionist leaning here – an intensity achieved through stark contrasts and simplified forms designed to reveal underlying tension, as in works by Kirchner and Heckel. And indeed the formal structures may reflect the increasing unease during the interwar era. What do we make of her lack of expression? Editor: This stillness in Mesquita’s approach truly reflects how cultural and personal anxieties intertwine within this early print. This small work gives pause to wider reflection, then, no? Curator: Very much so. And that stark simplicity allows the viewer space to insert their own perspective. Thank you for joining me!