Sitzende und vier Badende I 1914 - 1918

Otto Mueller made this print, ‘Sitzende und vier Badende I’, with lithographic crayon, ink, and scraper. The first thing I notice are those lovely creamy figures, almost camouflaged against the black water and foliage. I get a sense of the artist carefully placing each figure within the composition, adjusting their positions to achieve a harmonious balance, but maybe also deciding what to leave *out*. The figures are so gently rendered, like they’re made of soft clay. It's like Mueller wanted to capture a fleeting moment, a sense of spontaneity, like these women could get up and walk away any second! The minimal use of line and shading gives the print a dreamlike quality. There's something so vulnerable and tender in the way he depicts them. It reminds me of Gauguin's Tahitian women, but with a more intimate, introspective feel. Both artists shared a desire to move away from the artifice of academic painting. They embraced a more simplified, direct approach. Painting is so often a conversation!