Hermann Gröber (1865-1935), Two Studies Of Female Nudes, dated 1914

A very fine large pencil drawing by Hermann Gröber, also spelled Groeber, representing two studies of female nudes seen half-length.

The sheet is signed and dated at the centre: H. Groeber, 22 Dec. 1914.

The artist sets two complementary attitudes against one another. On the left, the principal figure, more fully resolved, is handled with great subtlety of modelling. The face, partly concealed by the hand, gives the pose a particularly powerful intensity, poised between modesty, fatigue and inward reflection. On the right, the second figure, lighter and more sketch-like, with her arms raised behind her head, reveals the artist’s exploration of line, volume and light.

The work bears witness to a remarkable mastery of German academic draughtsmanship in the early twentieth century. Gröber, trained in Munich and later appointed professor at the Academy, was especially admired for his teaching of the nude, his feeling for the figure and the confidence of his graphic style. Dated December 1914, this sheet combines the precision of a studio study with the sensitivity of an autonomous work.

The drawing retains a strong decorative presence, thanks to its large format, the suppleness of the line and the softness of the graphite on paper gently toned by time.

Hermann Gröber, also known as Hermann Groeber
(Wartenberg in 1865 - Gstadt am Chiemsee in 1935)

Pencil on paper
Sheet: 47 x 63 cm
Framed under glass: 52 x 69 cm

Good overall condition. The paper is slightly yellowed, with a few scattered foxing marks visible. The drawing is well preserved and presented framed under glass.