Sitting Nude with Pillow by August Macke, 1911
Authentic artwork
The artwork we print is faithfully restored from the original source - usually a museum, auction house or private collection.
We never replace, redraw or invent the artist’s work using generative AI.
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1911 artwork and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.
Restored in London • Printed and framed in the EU
Authentic artwork
The artwork we print is faithfully restored from the original source - usually a museum, auction house or private collection.
We never replace, redraw or invent the artist’s work using generative AI.
Restored from the original 1911 artwork and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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If you want to add a gift message, or a finish (jigsaw, aluminium board, etc.) that is not available here, please request it in the "order note" when you check out.
Every order is custom made, so if you need the size adjusted slightly, or printed on an unusual material, just let us know. We've done thousands of custom orders over the years, so there's (almost) nothing we can't manage.
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August Macke’s Sitting Nude with Pillow, painted in 1911, turns an intimate figure study into a compact arrangement of curves, colour and...
Continue readingAugust Macke’s Sitting Nude with Pillow, painted in 1911, turns an intimate figure study into a compact arrangement of curves, colour and pattern. Seen largely from behind, the nude sits in a relaxed, reclining pose, her muted beige body extending across cushions marked with warm reds and loosely drawn ornament. Around her, broad areas of blue and aqua replace a conventionally described interior. The close vertical composition concentrates attention on the arc of the back, the rounded shoulder and the points at which the figure meets the surrounding fabrics.
The painting belongs to a period of rapid experiment in European art and reflects Macke’s place within early German Expressionism. As a leading member of Der Blaue Reiter, he worked in a milieu that sought alternatives to naturalistic representation, giving colour, rhythm and simplified form a newly independent role. Macke absorbed these avant-garde ideas without losing his characteristic interest in ordinary human presence. Here, the nude is neither an academic demonstration nor an elaborately staged allegory: the subject becomes a lyrical study of repose, built from broad contours and vivid chromatic relationships.
A closer look
The figure dominates the central foreground but sits slightly off balance within it, creating a subtle tension between bodily weight and decorative flatness. Her black hair is established with a few dark, assertive strokes, while the spine and shoulder are described economically rather than through meticulous anatomical modelling. There is little dramatic chiaroscuro. Instead, Macke uses changes of hue and the meeting of adjacent shapes to define the body, allowing the pale skin to stand clearly against the more saturated setting.
Colour structures the scene. Cool blues spread through the upper background, shifting towards lighter aqua at the upper left, while reds and warm neutral tones gather in the lower half. A cushion beneath the figure combines red and beige; another patterned form at the lower right answers it, producing a loose visual balance across the composition. Small touches of red recur near the body, linking the separate cushions and preventing the foreground from breaking into isolated patches.
The handling of the surrounding textiles is particularly revealing. Their patterns are briskly indicated rather than fully described, enough to suggest softness and decoration without distracting from the nude. Visible, energetic strokes give these areas a tactile liveliness that contrasts with the relatively smooth treatment of the skin. Depth is present through overlapping forms, yet the broad blue ground and compressed arrangement resist traditional illusionism. Figure, pillow and background remain recognisable while also operating as interlocking fields of colour.
Context and significance
Der Blaue Reiter emerged in Munich in 1911, the same year as this painting, amid a wider rethinking of what modern art might express through colour and form. Within that context, Sitting Nude with Pillow demonstrates how Macke could approach an established genre—the reclining or seated nude—without relying on academic finish. The painting’s modernity lies not in abandoning the human figure, but in reorganising it: contour is simplified, spatial depth compressed and the surrounding interior transformed into a decorative chromatic environment.
The result is both direct and carefully orchestrated. Its strongest effects arise from contrasts that remain visible at every scale: warm flesh against cool blue, smooth passages against patterned cushions, bodily volume against flattened colour. Macke preserves the quiet immediacy of a private moment while making line, shape and hue carry much of the painting’s expressive force.
Choosing the right size and finish
Artwork can feel intimate at smaller sizes and dramatically more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to see how the proportions and scale will work in your space.
If you need an exact size, specialist framing or help planning a larger display, ask our workshop for advice.
The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this art print.
Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. See examples of personalised artwork.
Choose Original to retain the colour and character of the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer, more antique appearance. See examples of our Aged artwork.
Every piece is produced to archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte art paper. Choose an art print, framed art print or framed canvas using the finish options above.
Framed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic for excellent clarity, lower weight and safer delivery than glass. Each piece arrives professionally framed and ready to hang.
Selected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and specialist framing are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, contact our workshop.
This artwork is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The work is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present an art print without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas art and explore the differences between my different finishes.
August Macke’s Sitting Nude with Pillow, painted in 1911, turns an intimate figure study into a compact arrangement of curves, colour and pattern. Seen largely from behind, the nude sits in a relaxed, reclining pose, her muted beige body extending across cushions marked with warm reds and loosely drawn ornament. Around her, broad areas of blue and aqua replace a conventionally described interior. The close vertical composition concentrates attention on the arc of the back, the rounded shoulder and the points at which the figure meets the surrounding fabrics.
The painting belongs to a period of rapid experiment in European art and reflects Macke’s place within early German Expressionism. As a leading member of Der Blaue Reiter, he worked in a milieu that sought alternatives to naturalistic representation, giving colour, rhythm and simplified form a newly independent role. Macke absorbed these avant-garde ideas without losing his characteristic interest in ordinary human presence. Here, the nude is neither an academic demonstration nor an elaborately staged allegory: the subject becomes a lyrical study of repose, built from broad contours and vivid chromatic relationships.
A closer look
The figure dominates the central foreground but sits slightly off balance within it, creating a subtle tension between bodily weight and decorative flatness. Her black hair is established with a few dark, assertive strokes, while the spine and shoulder are described economically rather than through meticulous anatomical modelling. There is little dramatic chiaroscuro. Instead, Macke uses changes of hue and the meeting of adjacent shapes to define the body, allowing the pale skin to stand clearly against the more saturated setting.
Colour structures the scene. Cool blues spread through the upper background, shifting towards lighter aqua at the upper left, while reds and warm neutral tones gather in the lower half. A cushion beneath the figure combines red and beige; another patterned form at the lower right answers it, producing a loose visual balance across the composition. Small touches of red recur near the body, linking the separate cushions and preventing the foreground from breaking into isolated patches.
The handling of the surrounding textiles is particularly revealing. Their patterns are briskly indicated rather than fully described, enough to suggest softness and decoration without distracting from the nude. Visible, energetic strokes give these areas a tactile liveliness that contrasts with the relatively smooth treatment of the skin. Depth is present through overlapping forms, yet the broad blue ground and compressed arrangement resist traditional illusionism. Figure, pillow and background remain recognisable while also operating as interlocking fields of colour.
Context and significance
Der Blaue Reiter emerged in Munich in 1911, the same year as this painting, amid a wider rethinking of what modern art might express through colour and form. Within that context, Sitting Nude with Pillow demonstrates how Macke could approach an established genre—the reclining or seated nude—without relying on academic finish. The painting’s modernity lies not in abandoning the human figure, but in reorganising it: contour is simplified, spatial depth compressed and the surrounding interior transformed into a decorative chromatic environment.
The result is both direct and carefully orchestrated. Its strongest effects arise from contrasts that remain visible at every scale: warm flesh against cool blue, smooth passages against patterned cushions, bodily volume against flattened colour. Macke preserves the quiet immediacy of a private moment while making line, shape and hue carry much of the painting’s expressive force.
Choosing the right size and finish
Artwork can feel intimate at smaller sizes and dramatically more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to see how the proportions and scale will work in your space.
If you need an exact size, specialist framing or help planning a larger display, ask our workshop for advice.
The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this art print.
Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. See examples of personalised artwork.
Choose Original to retain the colour and character of the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer, more antique appearance. See examples of our Aged artwork.
Every piece is produced to archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte art paper. Choose an art print, framed art print or framed canvas using the finish options above.
Framed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic for excellent clarity, lower weight and safer delivery than glass. Each piece arrives professionally framed and ready to hang.
Selected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and specialist framing are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, contact our workshop.
This artwork is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The work is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present an art print without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas art and explore the differences between my different finishes.
Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.
Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.
We make orders locally in 24 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.
- We can deliver directly to the recipient
- Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
- Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
- Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
- 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide
If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.
Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.
We print and frame maps and artwork in 24 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.
Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.
Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.
Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.
If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.
Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.
Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.
Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.
We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.
Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.
Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.
All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.
We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.
If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.
We work with interior designers, hospitality businesses, property professionals, offices and corporate buyers on individual pieces and larger coordinated projects.
This artwork can be adapted for a particular wall, room or project, and our workshop can help coordinate the dimensions, material and framing before production.
- Exact, oversized and made-to-measure dimensions
- Custom framing, mounting and alternative materials
- Coordinated pieces for several rooms or locations
- Art personalisation, to adjust the colour and style of the piece
- Art and framing guidance from our workshop
- Local production for projects around the world
Every restored art print begins with the original artist’s work—never an AI-generated replacement.
Our London studio works from carefully selected source material from museums, libraries, archives and private collections. We restore age-related damage, faded colour and imperfect reproduction while preserving the artist’s composition, brushwork, line, texture and period character.
We do not use generative AI to redraw, reinterpret or invent the artwork. Digital restoration is used only to recover and reproduce the original work as faithfully as possible.
Once restored, the master artwork is prepared for your chosen size and finish. Your piece is then printed and, where selected, framed close to its delivery destination.
Our giclée art prints use acid-free 200gsm archival matte paper and fade-resistant pigment inks for a rich, museum-quality finish. Framed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
Framed canvas and specialist cotton-rag editions are also available. Learn more about our materials and finishes.
We’ve been restoring and producing maps and art prints since 1984, and we stand behind every piece.
Every order is covered by our 10-year guarantee and damage-free delivery guarantee. If your piece arrives damaged, we’ll replace or remake it free of charge. If anything else isn’t right, contact our workshop team and we’ll put it right promptly.
See our returns and refund policy for full details.
