Nude with Back Turned (1907) by Oskar Kokoschka

Nude with Back Turned - Oskar Kokoschka - 1907

Artwork Information

TitleNude with Back Turned
ArtistOskar Kokoschka
Date1907
Art MovementExpressionism

About Nude with Back Turned

The artwork “Nude with Back Turned” is a creation of Oskar Kokoschka from 1907, who was an Austrian artist known for his significant contribution to the Expressionist movement. This nude painting (nu) embodies the characteristics of Expressionism, a style that prioritizes emotional experience over physical reality, and often features a heightened sense of subjectivity and distortion.

The artwork depicts the figure of a nude woman seen from behind. The pose is dynamic, with a perceptible tension in the curvature of her spine and the positioning of her limbs. Her body is rendered with loose yet expressive lines that suggest form rather than delineate it precisely, characteristic of Kokoschka’s approach to capturing the essence of his subjects. The deliberate strokes and muted color palette convey a sense of raw emotion and introspection, with the woman’s downward gaze emphasizing a feeling of introspection or melancholy.

The medium appears to be a combination of line work and wash, creating an effective interplay between definition and diffusion. Kokoschka’s use of empty space and the placement of the figure to one side of the composition contribute to the artwork’s emotive impact, inviting viewers to contemplate the subject’s inner state. Given the historical context of the year 1907, this piece stands as an early example of the break from traditional figurative art towards the more evocative and psychological portrayals that would come to define Expressionism.

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