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Female Nude with Mask Before the Mirror, 1907

Leopold Museum,
Vienna
Oil on canvas
88×70 cm

Artists

  • Max Kurzweil

    (Bisenz/Bzenec 1867–1916 Vienna)

Currently on display at OG4
Max Kurzweil (1867–1916) studied at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, was a member of the Vienna Künstlerhaus as well as a founding member of the Vienna Secession. His seated nude in front of a mirror appears highly mysterious on account of the eye mask. The use of mirrors in paintings has a long tradition, and is meant to symbolize both vanity and transience. The oldest mirror is water. When the young Narcissus saw his mirror image in the water, he fell in love with his reflection. The seated young woman exhibits her flawless naked body and is looking at herself in the mirror. Her proud posture shows that she is aware of her beauty. But beauty is fleeting. The mask impedes this realization.

BL, 2021

Object data

Artist/author
  • Max Kurzweil
Title
Female Nude with Mask Before the Mirror
Date
1907
Art movement
Secession
Category
Painting
Material​/technique
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
88×70 cm
Credit line of the permanent loan
Collection Richard Grubman
Selection of Reference works
  • Wien 1900. Aufbruch in die Moderne, hrsg. von Hans-Peter Wipplinger, Wien 2019 (Ausst.-Kat. Leopold Museum, Wien, ab 15.03.2019).
Keywords
nudewoman/girlportraitsitting figureblack velvet/satin maskmirror

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Provenance

Provenance research
Leopold Museum i

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Search in collection

nudewoman/girlportraitsitting figureblack velvet/satin maskmirror