Currently not on view
The Cushion (Der Polster),
1903
Max Kurzweil, Austrian, 1867–1916
Published by Gesellschaft für Vervielfältigende Kunst, Austrian, 1871–1934
Published by Gesellschaft für Vervielfältigende Kunst, Austrian, 1871–1934
x1982-501
The Austrian painter and printmaker Max Kurzweil became one of the founding members of the Vienna Secessionist movement in 1897. His decorative prints incorporated the influence of Impressionist artists like Édouard Vuillard and Pierre Bonnard, as visible here in the compressed planes of the background and the vibrant combination of patterns. Der Polster is Kurzweil’s most renowned work and depicts his wife, Martha, with her head buried in a cushion and her hand held in a strenuous gesture. While the hidden expression of the protagonist beckons the viewer to complete the scene, Kurzweil’s choice of this particular pose suggests a sense of despair and further instills the composition with a feeling of angst.
More Context
Special Exhibition
Kurzweil’s print shows his wife, Martha, with head averted and hand splayed out—her hidden expression beckoning the viewer to complete the scene. The angst-ridden pose and claustrophobic composition invite psychological interpretation, stemming from the couple’s unhappy marriage (she left him in 1905), Martha’s tendency toward depression, and the mental instability of Kurzweil himself, who committed suicide along with his student and lover, Helene Heger, in 1916.
Information
Title
The Cushion (Der Polster)
Dates
1903
Maker
Medium
Color woodcut, printed with red, yellow, light green, light and dark blue ink, on thin Oriental paper
Dimensions
block: 28.5 x 25.9 cm (11 1/4 x 10 3/16 in.)
sheet: 39.2 x 30.5 cm. (15 7/16 x 12 in.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase, funds given by Mrs. Gerard B. Lambert
Object Number
x1982-501
Place Made
Europe, Austria, Vienna
Materials
Techniques
Subject
