Seated Girl (Fränzi Fehrmann)

Seated girl. Franzi Fehrmann. German Expressionism. Figure shown nearly full length, filling almost all of the picture space, seated on vivid blue divan dressed in bright red dress with yellow trim and black polka dots on green sleeves. Small nude figure at left a frequent motif in Kirchner's art. Strong color utilized, applied in broad areas with an eye to contrast and balance. Harsh contour lines add a decorative element to the composition. These strong contour lines reveal the influence of the woodcutting technique which Kirchner also practiced to great effect. Composition is simplified and economy of line and form reveal influence of Japanese art and primitive African sculpture. No signature - checked 8-21-96.