Standing Woman 1910

Cast in bronze by Wilhelm Lehmbruck, this Standing Woman presents a study in the classical nude, but marked by the anxieties of the early 20th century. Her draped garment, slipping off her body, is a motif that echoes the classical sculptures of Venus, symbolizing love and beauty. Yet, unlike the confident sensuality of those ancient figures, Lehmbruck’s woman is withdrawn, her head bowed, her expression melancholic. This gesture of covering or uncovering can be traced back through art history, each time imbued with different cultural and psychological weight. Think of the modest Venus, shielding herself, versus the provocative unveiling in Baroque art. Here, the gesture is internalized, a sign of vulnerability. The collective memory of ideal beauty clashes with the emotional tension conveyed through her posture, revealing the cyclical and evolving nature of symbols in art, constantly reshaped by the subconscious and historical context.