Description

This depiction of a nude is unusual; seen from above, her body bisects the plate diagonally in a bold, abstract way that is counter to the conventional ideal nude displayed frontally, lying on her side. Instead of using the traditional copper plate, Nolde used iron, which enhanced the corrosive appearance of the green color. He also unevenly laid the etching ground on the plate, resulting in the irregular tone in the background. The grainy, streaky marks around the woman’s body were drawn with a blunt point rather than the more typical sharp etching needle. His technique embraced the unpredictability and spontaneity of the etching process.