Max Pechstein, Portrait of Freda Wermel in a blue blouse, 1946 by Atelier Liesjes

An expressive and colourful portrait in which Pechstein portrays his muse Freda Wermel - an image of feminine strength, ornament and inner peace.

🎨 What you see
Freda Wermel is depicted frontally with short styled dark hair, large earrings and a light blue blouse decorated with red and dark blue motifs - floral and possibly bird-like.

Her gaze is calm and self-conscious, with a subtle expression that evokes intimacy.

The background is grey and textural, visually highlighting the figure and her clothing.

The brushwork is visible and rhythmic, emphasising colour contrasts and texture.

🧩 Theme
Pechstein here shows the portrait as a personal encounter and visual celebration.

Freda is not just a model, but a personal anchor in Pechstein's later work - a symbol of connection and inner strength.

The decorative blouse acts as a visual focal point, in which ornament and identity coincide.

📍 Style and technique
Typical of Pechstein's late period: expressive areas of colour, decorative patterns, and a preference for personal portraits over stylised types.

The brushwork is lively but controlled, with a balance between figuration and ornament.

The composition is central and static, with emphasis on symmetry and colour - an image of calm, closeness and visual clarity.

Hermann Max Pechstein (Zwickau, 31 December 1881 - Berlin, 29 June 1955) was a painter from Germany. Pechstein is considered an important representative of expressionism. In 1918, after World War I, Pechstein co-founded the Arbeitsrat für Kunst and in 1922 he joined the Prussian Academy of Art.