Naked Rider on the Beach
Max Liebermann
Description
Subject Matter:
In 1898, Liebermann had become the President of the newly-formed Berlin Secession, which served to challenge the imperial art policies in Germany at the turn of the century. The sketchy and atmospheric style shows Liebermann's Secession style ideals. He wished to push artists, including himself, to engage with more individualist styles and experimental linework, which showed his knowledge of the French Impressionists.
The horseman motif in this lithograph is typical of drawings and lithographs Liebermann completed during this time, including the recently-recovered Two Riders on a Beach, 1901. Starting in 1902, he focused on a series of works depicting horse taming because of the subject's ability to present movement in both the figures and the nature that surrounded them. The formal qualities of the work, especially the energetic lines, create a highly dynamic scene as the horse appears about to rear up against the pull of the naked youth who attempts to ride it.
Physical Description:
At the center of the lithograph, there is a nude man trying to get on a horse. The man's bent leg appears to be placed firmly against the horse's side and his body is pushed against its back. In the background, there is a strong set of horizion lines and the forground scene is enveloped in think and sketchy lines.
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