Zwei Badende Mädchen (mädchen Im Hemd) 1925

Otto Mueller made this painting of two girls bathing, Zwei Badende Mädchen, with oil on canvas. It’s hard to pinpoint when exactly, but what strikes me is the way he’s built up the image. It feels like he’s finding his way through the scene, not just copying it. There’s a tactile quality, you know? The surface isn’t smooth; you can see the strokes, the back-and-forth of the brush. The colors are muted, earthy – greens and browns, fleshy pinks. The white of the girl's shirt isn’t a pure white, it’s dirtied, like it’s part of the landscape. Look at the way he’s described the tree trunks. They’re not just green and brown; there are hints of blue and purple, which makes them feel alive and breathing. It reminds me a little of Gauguin. There’s a real sense of intimacy, a casualness. These girls aren’t posing; they’re just being. And I think that’s what makes the painting so compelling. It feels like a moment captured, a fleeting glimpse into a private world. It’s like he’s inviting us to participate in the ongoing dialogue between the old masters and modern sensibility.