Liebespaar 1925

Otto Mueller’s ‘Liebespaar’ is a pastel drawing made with soft colours and a velvety surface. You can almost feel the pastel dust floating in the air, and landing on your skin. I wonder what it was like for Mueller to build the figures up out of colour, touch by touch, rubbing and blending. Were they lovers he knew and loved? Or were they made up? The flattened forms and simplified shapes remind me of the German Expressionists, and yet, the emotional tone is much more intimate. It is not as dramatic as some of his peers. Look at how the figures are placed within the composition. It is a study in closeness and touch. Mueller was interested in capturing fleeting moments, and conveying a sense of raw emotion. The whole thing feels so fragile, and it reminds you of what it is like to be in love. And how the world turns into a blur.