Reclining Nude with Cat
Medium
color woodcut on folded book prospectus
Dimensions
block: 6.2 x 9.4 cm (2 7/16 x 3 11/16 in.) sheet (folded): 26.5 x 16.2 cm (10 7/16 x 6 3/8 in.) sheet (unfolded): 26.5 x 32.4 cm (10 7/16 x 12 3/4 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen
Accession Number
2007.75.2
Art Historical Context
**Reclining Nude with** is a striking color woodcut created by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner in 1924, a pivotal figure in German Expressionism and co-founder of the Die Brücke group. This intimate work captures a reclining nude figure accompanied by a cat, rendered with Kirchner's signature bold lines and vibrant hues that convey emotional intensity and raw vitality. Produced during his later years in Switzerland, amid struggles and recovery from wartime trauma, it reflects the artist's fascination with the human form and domestic motifs, blending sensuality with a touch of whimsy. The medium—a color...
About the Artist
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner · 1880–1938
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner was born on May 6, 1880, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, to parents Ernst and Maria Kirchner, part of a family of Prussian descent that frequently relocated due to his father's career as a chemical technician. After early schooling in various towns, he studied architecture at the Königliche Technische Hochschule (Technical University) in Dresden from 1901 to 1905, taking courses i...