The artwork, named “Prostitutes,” was created in 1923 by the artist Otto Dix and belongs to the Expressionism art movement. It is a portrait genre painting.
The artwork depicts two figures, both with exaggerated, almost grotesque features that call to mind the intense emotions typical of the Expressionist movement. The figure in the foreground sports a red hat adorned with an elaborate bouquet of flowers, and her face is painted with stark red tones, contrasting with the dark shadows around her eyes and mouth, giving her a haunting appearance. Her expression is unsettling, with an exaggerated, distorted smile that reveals her teeth. The figure in the background wears a large green hat with a white feather, and her features are equally exaggerated, marked by strikingly hollow eyes and a gaunt face. The background is a wash of yellow and green, which brings a striking and lurid quality to the scene. The overall composition confronts the viewer with a penetrating gaze, capturing the bleakness and rawness associated with the lives of the subjects.
