Woman in the Morning, c. 1920

The human provides the central motif in the work of Dresden-born painter and graphic artist Conrad Felixmüller (1897–1977). This etching shows a woman standing in front of and looking into her mirror. She is busy combing her hair, especially one thick strand on her protruding forehead. Large lowered eyelids and the open mouth gives strength and vitality to this scene from observed everyday life. Following Expressionist beginnings, Felixmüller turned to an objective-realistic style of representation. It was particularly the people of his own time, their lives, environment, and problems that the artist found worth portraying. Unjudgmental, but primarily through personal commitment and subjective sensitivity, he compassionately depicted human needs of the era as well as the most inconspicuous everyday activities.

AK, 2021