Standing Nude Girl, n. d.

The artist Ury Lesser (1861–1931) aimed for a psychologizing effect of the facial features in this figure study. In places, the glaring light breaks up the drawing’s outlines, while the atmospheric lighting was achieved through hatching. Lesser is considered an early exponent of Impressionism, though his busy street scenes initially did not meet with any approval. A loner, he had high expectations of himself and found it difficult to gain a foothold in the metropolis Berlin. A conflict with the painter Max Liebermann (1847–1935) made him shun all the renowned artists’ associations of his time. It was only towards the end of his career that he received accolades.

ASch, 2021