Max Pechstein, Reclining Female Nude, 1910 by Atelier Liesjes

An intimate, fluid nude in watercolour on paper: a naked woman lies on her back, knees slightly raised. The body is washed in warm, translucent red-orange and pink tones, with subtle shadows and contours in dark ink. The face is serene with closed eyes. The composition is close-up and central, with minimal background (often beige paper), but a sense of security and sensuality; signed ' "H.P. 1910" (of variant "HYP 1910"'. Meaning This work from 1910 (the height of the Brücke period) celebrates the pure sensuality and vulnerability of the female body in a direct, unadorned representation. The reclining pose symbolises tranquillity, introspection and erotic serenity – a typical Brücke motif to liberate the naked body from academic ideals and bourgeois taboos. Pechstein sought raw, emotional expression and natural freedom here, inspired by his observations during summer trips (e.g. Moritzburg or the Baltic Sea). The work radiates warmth, intimacy and vitality, with a slight melancholy due to the modest posture. Technique Watercolour (with ink contours) on paper: transparent, flowing washes in warm skin tones (red-orange, pink) with subtle transitions and light hatching for volume. Dark ink lines define contours and details (hair, eyes, nipples), with a sketchy, spontaneous freedom. The style is expressive and minimalist, with a focus on line and colour over detail – characteristic of Pechstein's early watercolours around 1910, strongly influenced by Fauvist colour and Brücke primitivism.

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 the First World War, Pechstein co-founded the Arbeitsrat für Kunst (Workers' Council for Art) and in 1922 he became a member of the Prussian Academy of Arts.