This original 14 x 21 inch reclining nude drawing by German artist Heinrich Mutter (1924–1999) exemplifies his celebrated late focus on drawing. Signed by the artist and acquired in New York City, the work presents a female figure stretched diagonally across the sheet, described with fluid, continuous contour lines that accentuate the curves of the body while leaving large areas of untouched paper.
From the mid-1970s onward Mutter abandoned color to concentrate on pencil and carbon drawing, developing a refined linear style that balanced modernist reduction with classical observation. Active in Freiburg im Breisgau and trained at the School of Applied Arts in Basel, Mutter exhibited extensively in Germany, including major retrospectives at Kunstverein Freiburg’s Schwarzes Kloster and Marienbad, and a centenary solo exhibition in 2024 devoted to his drawings.
This signed female nude by Heinrich Mutter is an outstanding example of his mature figurative work and a compelling opportunity for collectors of European post-war drawing, modernist nude studies, and German works on paper. Offered by Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC.
This 14 x 21 inch drawing is an original female nude by German artist Heinrich Mutter (1924–1999), acquired in New York City and signed at the lower right. Executed in fine linear graphite or carbon on light paper, the figure reclines diagonally across the sheet, one arm bent behind her head and the other resting along her torso. Mutter uses a single continuous contour to describe the body, with only sparing interior lines to suggest volume in the hips, torso, and face. The result is very much in keeping with his mature practice from the 1960s–1980s, when he moved away from color and devoted himself to the expressive purity of drawing.heinrich-mutter.de+2galerie-k.art+2
The sheet shows soft waves and light handling typical of mid-20th-century paper but no major losses or tears, making it a strong, presentable example suitable for conservation framing.
Heinrich Mutter was born in Obersäckingen, Baden, Germany, in 1924. He studied at the School of Applied Arts in Basel, Switzerland, where he received a broad training that encompassed painting, design, and architectural techniques.Universitätsklinikum Freiburg+1
After his studies he settled in Freiburg im Breisgau, where he lived and worked for the rest of his life. Early in his career he painted bold oil and acrylic works and colorful watercolors; from the 1960s into the mid-1970s he also explored lithography and architectural commissions, including sgraffito façades, glass mosaics, and concrete sculptures.
Around the mid-1970s Mutter experienced a turning point. He later explained that he felt he “couldn’t get any further with color,” and returned to drawing “very simply”—a decision that defined his practice for the rest of his life.heinrich-mutter.de+1 From then on he worked primarily with pencil, graphite, and carbon, focusing on figure studies, abstracted compositions, and linear explorations of form.
Mutter’s drawings were widely exhibited. Between 1967 and 1999 he held at least 16 solo exhibitions, with further posthumous shows. Particularly important were two large retrospectives in Freiburg: the 1989 exhibition at the Kunstverein in the Schwarzes Kloster and the 1994 show at Marienbad, both of which presented a comprehensive overview of his drawing from 1969–1989 and were accompanied by a substantial catalogue.heinrich-mutter.de+1 A recent solo exhibition at Galerie K in 2024, marking what would have been his 100th birthday, again focused on his drawings and underlined their significance within German post-war art.
Beyond his studio work, Mutter was a co-initiator and later director of the artist workshop in Freiburg’s historic Mehlwaage, helping build an important regional hub for contemporary art. His drawings are held in public collections (including the University Heart Center in Bad Krozingen) and appear regularly in European auctions and gallery programs.Universitätsklinikum Freiburg+1
This particular drawing—an elegant reclining nude composed almost entirely of line—fits squarely within Mutter’s mature focus on the human figure and his search for “expressive purity” through drawing.
Heinrich Mutter (1924–1999)
Reclining Female Nude
Carbon/graphite on paper, approx. 14 x 21 in (sheet)
Signed lower right; acquired in New York City.
Mature linear nude study by the German draughtsman, rendered in fluid continuous contour, typical of his post-1970s focus on drawing.
Artist: Heinrich Mutter (1924–1999)
Title: Reclining Female Nude
Medium: Carbon / Graphite drawing on paper
Dimensions: Approx. 14 x 21 inches (sheet)
Date: c. 1960s–1980s (Mutter’s mature drawing period)
Signature: Signed by the artist at lower right
Origin: Acquired in New York City, USA
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
Description & Attribution:
This work is an original drawing by Heinrich Mutter, depicting a reclining nude figure rendered in the artist’s characteristic linear style. The medium, composition, and signature are consistent with documented examples of Mutter’s carbon and graphite nude drawings from the mid- to late-20th century.
Condition Report:
Sheet with light overall waviness and minor handling marks consistent with age; no significant tears, losses, or repairs observed. Suitable for archival matting and framing.
Private Collection, New York City, USA
Art Market / Dealer, New York City (secondary trade)
Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC, USA — Present Owner
Heinrich Mutter – Signed Reclining Nude Drawing (14 x 21 in)
Discover this original reclining nude drawing by German artist Heinrich Mutter (1924–1999), a master of modernist line and post-war European drawing. Executed in carbon/graphite on paper and signed by the artist, the 14 x 21 inch work reflects Mutter’s decisive shift in the 1970s from painting to the expressive purity of drawing. Offered by Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC.
#artfindgallery #heinrichmutter #germanart #nudedrawing #figurativedrawing #modernistdrawing #20thcenturyart #worksOnPaper #europeanart
This original 14 x 21 inch reclining nude drawing by German artist Heinrich Mutter (1924–1999) exemplifies his celebrated late focus on drawing. Signed by the artist and acquired in New York City, the work presents a female figure stretched diagonally across the sheet, described with fluid, continuous contour lines that accentuate the curves of the body while leaving large areas of untouched paper.
From the mid-1970s onward Mutter abandoned color to concentrate on pencil and carbon drawing, developing a refined linear style that balanced modernist reduction with classical observation. Active in Freiburg im Breisgau and trained at the School of Applied Arts in Basel, Mutter exhibited extensively in Germany, including major retrospectives at Kunstverein Freiburg’s Schwarzes Kloster and Marienbad, and a centenary solo exhibition in 2024 devoted to his drawings.
This signed female nude by Heinrich Mutter is an outstanding example of his mature figurative work and a compelling opportunity for collectors of European post-war drawing, modernist nude studies, and German works on paper. Offered by Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC.
This 14 x 21 inch drawing is an original female nude by German artist Heinrich Mutter (1924–1999), acquired in New York City and signed at the lower right. Executed in fine linear graphite or carbon on light paper, the figure reclines diagonally across the sheet, one arm bent behind her head and the other resting along her torso. Mutter uses a single continuous contour to describe the body, with only sparing interior lines to suggest volume in the hips, torso, and face. The result is very much in keeping with his mature practice from the 1960s–1980s, when he moved away from color and devoted himself to the expressive purity of drawing.heinrich-mutter.de+2galerie-k.art+2
The sheet shows soft waves and light handling typical of mid-20th-century paper but no major losses or tears, making it a strong, presentable example suitable for conservation framing.
Heinrich Mutter was born in Obersäckingen, Baden, Germany, in 1924. He studied at the School of Applied Arts in Basel, Switzerland, where he received a broad training that encompassed painting, design, and architectural techniques.Universitätsklinikum Freiburg+1
After his studies he settled in Freiburg im Breisgau, where he lived and worked for the rest of his life. Early in his career he painted bold oil and acrylic works and colorful watercolors; from the 1960s into the mid-1970s he also explored lithography and architectural commissions, including sgraffito façades, glass mosaics, and concrete sculptures.
Around the mid-1970s Mutter experienced a turning point. He later explained that he felt he “couldn’t get any further with color,” and returned to drawing “very simply”—a decision that defined his practice for the rest of his life.heinrich-mutter.de+1 From then on he worked primarily with pencil, graphite, and carbon, focusing on figure studies, abstracted compositions, and linear explorations of form.
Mutter’s drawings were widely exhibited. Between 1967 and 1999 he held at least 16 solo exhibitions, with further posthumous shows. Particularly important were two large retrospectives in Freiburg: the 1989 exhibition at the Kunstverein in the Schwarzes Kloster and the 1994 show at Marienbad, both of which presented a comprehensive overview of his drawing from 1969–1989 and were accompanied by a substantial catalogue.heinrich-mutter.de+1 A recent solo exhibition at Galerie K in 2024, marking what would have been his 100th birthday, again focused on his drawings and underlined their significance within German post-war art.
Beyond his studio work, Mutter was a co-initiator and later director of the artist workshop in Freiburg’s historic Mehlwaage, helping build an important regional hub for contemporary art. His drawings are held in public collections (including the University Heart Center in Bad Krozingen) and appear regularly in European auctions and gallery programs.Universitätsklinikum Freiburg+1
This particular drawing—an elegant reclining nude composed almost entirely of line—fits squarely within Mutter’s mature focus on the human figure and his search for “expressive purity” through drawing.
Heinrich Mutter (1924–1999)
Reclining Female Nude
Carbon/graphite on paper, approx. 14 x 21 in (sheet)
Signed lower right; acquired in New York City.
Mature linear nude study by the German draughtsman, rendered in fluid continuous contour, typical of his post-1970s focus on drawing.
Artist: Heinrich Mutter (1924–1999)
Title: Reclining Female Nude
Medium: Carbon / Graphite drawing on paper
Dimensions: Approx. 14 x 21 inches (sheet)
Date: c. 1960s–1980s (Mutter’s mature drawing period)
Signature: Signed by the artist at lower right
Origin: Acquired in New York City, USA
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
Description & Attribution:
This work is an original drawing by Heinrich Mutter, depicting a reclining nude figure rendered in the artist’s characteristic linear style. The medium, composition, and signature are consistent with documented examples of Mutter’s carbon and graphite nude drawings from the mid- to late-20th century.
Condition Report:
Sheet with light overall waviness and minor handling marks consistent with age; no significant tears, losses, or repairs observed. Suitable for archival matting and framing.
Private Collection, New York City, USA
Art Market / Dealer, New York City (secondary trade)
Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC, USA — Present Owner
Heinrich Mutter – Signed Reclining Nude Drawing (14 x 21 in)
Discover this original reclining nude drawing by German artist Heinrich Mutter (1924–1999), a master of modernist line and post-war European drawing. Executed in carbon/graphite on paper and signed by the artist, the 14 x 21 inch work reflects Mutter’s decisive shift in the 1970s from painting to the expressive purity of drawing. Offered by Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC.
#artfindgallery #heinrichmutter #germanart #nudedrawing #figurativedrawing #modernistdrawing #20thcenturyart #worksOnPaper #europeanart
