Bathers 1916 - 1917

Otto Mueller made this painting of bathers with oil on canvas and it’s pretty interesting because it feels both modern and ancient at the same time, like a frieze. The colors are muted—earthy greens and browns with touches of red—giving it a very grounded, natural feel. You can see the process in the texture; the paint isn’t trying to hide itself. It’s not about illusion, but about the physical act of laying down color. Look at the way the bodies are formed with these long strokes of color, it's almost sculptural. There’s this one figure on the left, her arm raised, and it’s just a few strokes but so full of life. It’s like he’s capturing a fleeting moment, a gesture that tells you everything and nothing. In a way, it reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker, both sharing this interest in representing the human form in simple and honest way. Art isn’t about answers, it’s about the conversation.