Zwei sitzende Mädchen II 1921 - 1922

Otto Mueller made this lithograph, Zwei sitzende Mädchen II, with ink on paper. You can see how Mueller embraces the happy accidents that come from using this medium. It's like he’s saying, "Okay, paper and ink, let's see what we can make together." The texture here is so interesting, because it’s flat, but also feels rough. Look at the way he uses the lithographic crayon; it's scratchy and uneven. This gives the figures a sense of weight. Then there's the way he's outlined the figures, simple gestures in charcoal, giving them shape. I love the way the background almost merges with the figures, a beautiful dark mass contrasting with the lightness of the girls, like the negative space is just as important as the figures themselves. You know, looking at this, I’m reminded of Paula Modersohn-Becker. Both she and Mueller used a kind of elemental simplicity to depict figures, emphasizing form and feeling over perfect representation. Art is always a conversation, right?