Half-Length Portrait of a Woman

Heckel was a key member of the Brücke (Bridge) group of German Expressionist artists. This drawing dates to the period of 1911-1913 when the group was based in Berlin. Heckel was drawn to African sculpture, which he studied at the ethnographic museums of Dresden and Berlin, and its influence can be seen here. The subject's head appears much too big in relation to her right arm, which is folded against her chest with her hand holding her neck. The thick contour lines, the angularity of the shapes, and the bold contrast between light and dark give the drawing a sculptural quality, which is also reminiscent of Heckel's extensive work in woodcut.