Sad Woman; Standing Female Nude; Nude Girl by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

Sad Woman; Standing Female Nude; Nude Girl 1921

carving, sculpture

17_20th-century

woman

carving

pectoral

portrait head and shoulder

sculpture

child character design

expressionism

animal portrait

mid-section and head portrait

character illustration

animal drawing portrait

watercolour illustration

white background

charcoal

"Sad Woman" is a wooden sculpture by German Expressionist artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, created in 1921. The sculpture depicts a nude female figure with a melancholic expression, standing with her hands clasped in front of her. The simplified forms, elongated limbs, and stylized features are characteristic of Kirchner's style, reflecting the anxieties and alienation of modern life in early 20th-century Germany. The sculpture is currently housed at the Städel Museum.

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stadelmuseum over 1 year ago

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'Melancholy Girl' was the name Kirchner gave to this sculpture carved from Swiss pine, which he first presented to the public at the Galerie Schames in Frankfurt. In a state of collapse and with reddened eyes, the woman demonstratively presents her feminine charms. Kirchner has combined in the figure the appearance of his two most important partners: the body recalls that of Doris Große, his friend during his time in Dresden, while the head is that of Erna Schilling, his companion in later years. With its smooth surface and carefully coloured setting, the sculpture remains unique in Kirchner's sculptural works.