Two Nudes 1908

Editor: Lovis Corinth’s 1908 pencil drawing, "Two Nudes," certainly makes a statement. It's…intimate, in a way that feels almost unsettling. The figures, especially the man, have such direct gazes. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Unsettling is a good word for it! Corinth was diving deep into Expressionism around this time, stripping away polite prettiness for something more…raw. Notice how the lines are almost frenetic, digging into the paper. It’s like he's trying to capture not just what they look like, but some kind of inner truth. Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way, but I see it now. There's an intensity that goes beyond just replicating the scene. What do you mean, inner truth? Curator: Well, Expressionists weren’t interested in surface appearances. For them, art was a vehicle to communicate emotional experience. The man’s unflinching stare and the woman’s slightly anxious expression...it makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Are they comfortable? Are they exposed? And consider: What are we meant to feel as the viewer? Editor: That tension definitely comes across. And it is interesting how little background there is; it’s really all about the figures. It does make you feel like you are intruding somehow. Curator: Exactly. Corinth, I think, is pushing us to question what it means to truly see someone, and how our own gaze influences that perception. He almost makes us complicit in his artistic explorations. What will we do with the information once we learn it? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. I came in expecting something beautiful and classical, but this is far more complex and confrontational. Curator: It's like a mirror, reflecting back our own preconceived notions about beauty, intimacy, and the role of the artist. Editor: So, it seems beauty is in the eye of the uncomfortable beholder! Thank you, that really changed how I saw this work. Curator: And thank you! Art’s at its best when it gets you thinking.