{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O141277"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O141277/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EU9558/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EU9558/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011EU9558","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BU2947","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O141277/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O141277","accessionNumber":"CIRC.149-1966","objectType":"Woodcut","titles":[{"title":"The African","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Max Hermann Pechstein was a German Expressionist painter and printmaker, and a member of Die Brücke (The Bridge) group. The Expressionists rejected the restraints of a ‘civilised’ bourgeois modernity and its pretentious and artificial forms of art-making for a lifestyle and art which was direct, ‘natural’ and instinctual. Print-making was their preferred medium, particularly the woodcut which was celebrated for its rawness and immediacy. The subject matter and style of the Expressionists was much influenced by objects from Africa and Oceania, which the artists saw at ethnographical museums in Dresden and Berlin. These objects were admired as the products of ‘primitive’ cultures, a view considered problematic today. This woodcut by Pechstein presents the head and shoulders of a woman seen from below. The bold stylisation of the woman’s face, neck and breasts reflects the influence of African sculpture. The foliage seen behind the woman adds to the exoticism of the image.","physicalDescription":"Woodcut printed with black ink on brown paper. Woman's head and shoulders, with foliage behind, in style inspired by African sculpture","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Pechstein, Max","id":"A14079"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"woodcutting","id":"AAT53296"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Woodcut on paper","categories":[{"text":"Black History","id":"THES48989"},{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"},{"text":"Woodcuts","id":"THES267451"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2011EU9558","2008BU2947"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"MP","shelf":"78","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"print","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Germany","id":"x28873"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1914","earliest":"1914-01-01","latest":"1914-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"50.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"(sheet)","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"33.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"(sheet)","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"24.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"(image)","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"19.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"(image)","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Print, 'The African', Max Pechstein, woodcut, 1914","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Taken from Departmental Circulation Register 1966"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"woman","id":"x39474"},{"text":"plant","id":"AAT132360"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["CIRC.149-1966"],"accessionNumberNum":"149","accessionNumberPrefix":"CIRC","accessionYear":1966,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-10","recordCreationDate":"2007-12-06","availableToBook":false}}