Frauenschuh
1935
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
graphite on two joined sheets of tracing paper
Dimensions
overall (approximate): 48.3 x 25.4 cm (19 x 10 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Pym Lucas in memory of Frank Epping
Accession Number
1984.16.3
Art Historical Context
This graphite drawing, titled *Frauenschuh* and created in 1935 by Wilhelm Heise, takes its name from the German word for “lady’s slipper,” the distinctive orchid whose pouch-like bloom has long captivated artists and botanists. Executed on two joined sheets of tracing paper, the work measures roughly 19 by 10 inches and belongs to the National Gallery of Art’s collection as a gift of Mrs. Pym Lucas in memory of Frank Epping. Tracing paper’s translucency made it a favored support for studies that might later be transferred or overlaid, while graphite offered Heise the precision needed to rend...