82.213 Head of sleeping woman

c. 1920

Watercolor, 22 1/2 x 15 1/4" (56.2 x 38.7 cm)

Signed, ll: M Kaus

Provenance: Lempertz Auction, Cologne, Nr. 467, December 1961

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82.213 Head of sleeping woman

c. 1920

Watercolor, 22 1/2 x 15 1/4" (56.2 x 38.7 cm)

Signed, ll: M Kaus

Provenance: Lempertz Auction, Cologne, Nr. 467, December 1961

Head of sleeping woman  c.1920

As early as 1917, Kaus began to paint quiet images of women who were sleeping, reclining, or reading- themes he had in common with his friend Erich Heckel (see Heckel entry 82.146).  In most cases, he painted a very close view of the head only, perhaps including an upraised arm or hand. This intimate portrayal remained one of the most frequent in his oeuvre.  In most views, he used his wife, Turu, as a model.  Indeed, Kaus’ most devastatingly powerful renditions of a reclining woman center on Turu.  In 1943, he completed Schmerzliches Bildnis (Painful Portrait), 24 studies done of his wife during the year in which she was dying of cancer.  He depicted her in every state of deterioration, imbuing each piece with a sense of sympathy and affection, which makes them all the more moving to view.  In many ways, these studies serve as metaphorical statements on the more universal suffering that the world was then experiencing.

This watercolor study is similar to many others done by Kaus during the 1920s.  The composition is very simple, with a few quick strips of color to enhance the lines of the head and neck.  The close view conveys a mood of intimacy that enhances the impact of the work.