Aktstudie 1920

Christian Rohlfs painted this nude study using watercolors, a medium associated more with sketching and illustration than the grand scale of the oil painting. Here, the fluid, translucent nature of watercolor lends itself to a depiction of flesh that feels both immediate and ethereal. The paint is applied in broad, gestural strokes, with colors blending and bleeding into one another, giving the figure a sense of vitality. We can see how Rohlfs used the white of the paper as a kind of pigment in itself, allowing it to shine through the washes of color and create a luminous effect. The quick, spontaneous nature of watercolor aligns with the idea of a study – an exercise in capturing the fleeting essence of a subject. By embracing the inherent qualities of the medium, Rohlfs bridges the gap between the perceived ‘minor’ art of watercolor and the more ‘serious’ tradition of figurative painting. This reminds us that great art can emerge from unexpected materials and methods.