Three Nudes in the Forest

Max PechsteinWW-1911-092297

1911·Gouache and black crayon on yellow wove paper·43.1 × 55.4 cm (17 × 21 13/16 in.)

<p>As a member of the Brücke (Bridge) artist’s society Max Pechstein often vacationed with the group in the German countryside. In the summer of 1911, he joined the group in the remote fishing village of Nida (in present-day Lithuania) on the Baltic Sea. Away from the confines of the city Brücke artists celebrated a return to nature by bathing in the nude outdoors. Here, three nude women are depicted in an idyllic setting. Pechstein’s pitched red tent is visible in the background.</p>

Catalogue

Year: 1911
Medium: Gouache and black crayon on yellow wove paper
Dimensions: 43.1 × 55.4 cm (17 × 21 13/16 in.)
Collection: Art Institute of Chicago
Artist: Max Pechstein

Artist

Max Pechstein

Painting

German Expressionist Max Pechstein was a quintessential artist of the Die Brücke group in the years leading up to World War I. His use of bold color and expressive form contributed to the development of expressionism, and he led The New Secession movement alongside George Tappert in 1910. A crucial member of the avant-garde, he consistently experimented with line, form and acidic color that was liberated from mimetic representation in his landscapes and figurative paintings.

Palau

Full artist profile →