Accession Number1962/2.22
TitleNaked Rider on the Beach
Artist(s)Max LiebermannArtist NationalityGerman (culture or style)Object Creation Date1908Medium & Supportlithograph on paperDimensions 17 3/8 in x 14 1/4 in (44.13 cm x 36.2 cm);28 in x 22 in (71.12 cm x 55.88 cm)
Credit LineGift of Jean Paul SlusserSubject matterIn 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 DescriptionAt 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.
Primary Object ClassificationPrintCollection AreaModern and ContemporaryRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
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Keywords
Secession Movement
beaches
equestrians
lithographs
men (male humans)