Portrait of Mme Vernot with Aurelie

Gabriele Münter portrayed her friend and neighbor Madame Vernot in strong outlines that strike a balance between realism and abstraction. Münter carved the portrait from one linoleum block, and the Vernots’ kitchen and their maid Aurelie on a second one. The background was printed in a lighter color over the portrait. The two registers weave together, embedding Madame Vernot in her domestic setting. The muted green tones of this work reflect Münter’s experimentation with color printing during her yearlong stay outside of Paris.