Lopende jonge vrouw, in kleurig, wapperend gewaad, tegen een donkere achtergrond 1818 - 1880

Eduard von Heuss made this watercolour titled ‘Lopende jonge vrouw’ or Running Young Woman in colourfully, fluttering robe, against a dark background’ sometime in the 19th century. Notice how the artist uses light and dark washes to create a sense of movement and depth. The contrast between the dark background and the light robe of the woman makes her figure stand out, whilst the loose brushstrokes suggest the movement of both the figure and the fabric. The washes are applied in such a way as to be representational, but not naturalistic; the colour and flowing lines have an expressive effect. The semiotic system at work is not one of mimetic representation, but of symbolic expression. The colours, the dynamic brushstrokes and the ethereal form all work together to evoke a sense of lightness and freedom. This work is a study in how form and colour can suggest emotion and movement.