Angna Enters in Aphrodisiac-Green Hour 1930

Aline Fruhauf made this monochrome lithograph, "Angna Enters in Aphrodisiac-Green Hour", using crayon and tusche. Look at those dense marks. It’s all about the build-up, the accretion, the layering of darks and lights. You can really feel the process of the artist feeling her way into this image. Fruhauf coaxes this image to life. The lines are both delicate and bold. The crayon work gives the whole image a beautiful, velvety texture. Notice how the hatching around the edges and background creates depth and atmosphere, while the sharp, economical lines around the face give the figure a bold, graphic presence. Check out the table to the right. You can see the grain of the lithographic stone or plate coming through. It’s like the artist is saying, “Hey, this is how it’s made!” This piece reminds me a little of some of the social realist drawings of the 1930's, but with a lighter, more playful touch. Like Otto Dix, she captures something essential about the spirit of her time with great economy.