Zwei Mädchenakte Im Atelier 1928

Otto Mueller made this painting, Zwei Mädchenakte Im Atelier, which translates to Two Female Nudes in the Studio, probably in the early 20th century, with distemper on canvas. The way he's using this chalky distemper feels so immediate, almost like a quick sketch. Look at the way the teal outlines the figures and loosely defines the space. It's like he’s carving them out of this warm, fleshy ground. The colors aren't blended or fussed over; they're just laid down, letting the rawness of the materials speak. I love how the vertical strokes of teal to the left of the figures, create a sense of depth without really describing anything specific. They’re like ghosts of a background, or maybe just the feeling of being in a studio, surrounded by half-formed ideas. It reminds me a little of Paula Modersohn-Becker's simplified forms and earthy palettes, but with a more vulnerable touch. It's this constant push and pull between representation and abstraction, that makes the piece so compelling.