Das Große Paar 1914

Otto Mueller made Das Große Paar, probably in the 1910s or 20s, using distemper on canvas. Look at how the color is almost leached out, like a faded photograph, with those ochre tones and thin washes. It's as if the painting came into being through a process of staining and rubbing. You can see the weave of the canvas right through the figures, which gives it a ghostly feel, like they might disappear. The man has this heavy presence, but also seems to be looking down at the woman, who is lounging back, all casual. There's this gestural, almost crude line around the figures which holds them in place. The blue of the cushion is so subtle, but it brings out the warmth of the rest of the painting. It reminds me a little of Paula Modersohn-Becker, but more melancholic. Anyway, it's all kind of mysterious. What do you think?