An artwork on Galleree from Minneapolis Institute of Art.
About the artwork
Seated Girl (Fränzi Fehrmann)1910 (altered 1920)
Artist: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
German, 1880–1938
Seated girl. Franzi Fehrmann. German Expressionism. Figure shown nearly full length, filling almost all of the picture space, seated on vivid blue divan dressed in bright red dress with yellow trim and black polka dots on green sleeves. Small nude figure at left a frequent motif in Kirchner's art. Strong color utilized, applied in broad areas with an eye to contrast and balance. Harsh contour lines add a decorative element to the composition. These strong contour lines reveal the influence of the woodcutting technique which Kirchner also practiced to great effect. Composition is simplified and economy of line and form reveal influence of Japanese art and primitive African sculpture. No signature - checked 8-21-96.
31 3/4 x 35 7/8 in. (80.6 x 91.1 cm) (canvas)
40 3/4 x 45 x 2 3/16 in. (103.51 x 114.3 x 5.56 cm) (outer frame)
Oil on canvas
Painting
Germany
20th century
The John R. Van Derlip Fund
In the vibrant heart of early twentieth-century Germany, a wave of creativity surged through the streets, igniting the minds and spirits of young artists. They called themselves Die Brücke, translating to "The Bridge," and they stood on the cusp of something transformative. Between 1905 and 1913, these bold visionaries embarked on a quest—to craft a pathway from the artistic sensibilities of their time to the uncharted territories of the future.
Their medium of choice was Expressionism, a new style bursting at the seams with emotion, unapologetic in its rawness. With every brushstroke, each one deliberate and forceful, they sought to shake the foundations of traditional art, revealing not just images, but the very essence of feeling. Among these courageous souls was Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, a leader in this movement whose works pulsated with the intensity of unfiltered existence.
On this journey through the artistic revolution, an adolescent girl named Lina Franziska "Franzi" Fehrmann entered the scene. It was 1910 when fate intertwined her life with that of Kirchner. At just ten years old, Franzi was no stranger to the world of art; she and her siblings served as muses for the vibrant collective of Die Brücke. When she modelled for Kirchner's painting *Seated Girl*, she became part of a narrative larger than herself—a living embodiment of youthful innocence captured on canvas, her spirit merging with the colors and contours of her time.
In the studio, amid the aroma of paint and the scratch of brushes on canvas, Franzi sat, perhaps unaware of the legacy she was stepping into. Her presence, a bridge between the ordinary and the extraordinary, aimed straight at the heart. With every pose, she added her own layer to the rich, emotive tapestry that Die Brücke was weaving; participating in a dialogue that would echo through the annals of art history.
Together, they sought not just to create, but to connect—linking past, present, and future. Through their art, they aimed to unveil the myriad of human emotions that lay just beneath the surface, challenging the confines of societal norms. And in that moment, beneath the watchful eye of Kirchner, Franzi became an integral part of a poignant story, shimmering with potential and brimming with the promise of what was to come. The world around them was changing, and together, they were crafting a vivid legacy that would inspire generations to resonate with the power of untold stories.
About the artist
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