Nude
Medium
woodcut on wove paper
Dimensions
plate: 38.7 × 23.7 cm (15 1/4 × 9 5/16 in.) sheet: 45.4 × 31.7 cm (17 7/8 × 12 1/2 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen
Accession Number
2012.92.150
Art Historical Context
Karl Schmidt-Rottluff's *Nude* (1909) is a striking woodcut that captures the raw energy of German Expressionism. As a founding member of Die Brücke (The Bridge), a radical group formed in Dresden in 1905,-Rottluff rejected traditional academic art in favor of bold, emotional forms inspired by African and Oceanic art, medieval woodcuts, and folk traditions. Created at the height of the group's influence, this print reflects their mission to bridge past and future through direct, primal expression. The woodcut medium—carved into wood blocks and printed on wove paper—holds special significance ...
About the Artist
Karl Schmidt-Rottluff
Karl Schmidt-Rottluff (1884–1976) was a German painter and printmaker who was a co-founder of Die Brücke (The Bridge), one of the most important groups of the Expressionist movement. Born Karl Schmidt in Rottluff near Chemnitz, he adopted his birthplace as a surname and in 1905, together with Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Fritz Bleyl, and Erich Heckel, founded Die Brücke in Dresden, a group dedicated to ...