Villa by the Sea, 1871 – 1874

Dimensions: 108.0 x 154.0 cm

Physical Description: Oil on canvas

Inventory Number: 1260

Acquisition: Acquired in 1894

Status: On display, 1st upper level, Modern Art, room 5

Texts

About the Work

Dark clouds, cypresses bowing to the wind and a villa by the sea in the red evening sky served as a dramatic setting for this metaphor of solitude. A withdrawn female figure is standing on the beach, as if she were on stage. The body’s melancholy posture, with her head resting in her hand, can be traced under her cloak. Böcklin is alluding to the onlooker’s withdrawal into his self. This is the third version of five dealing with this subject, which was of great importance to the artist.

Audio & Video

Basic information

01:01
Focus on art history

01:51
Focus on cultural history

01:43

Kunst|Stück – Arnold Böcklin: Villa am Meer

Kunst|Stück – Sammlungshighlights des Städel Museums in unterhaltsamen und informativen Filmen – das sind die Kunst|Stücke. Entdecken Sie spannende Details zu Kunstwerken aus ungewöhnlichen Blickwinkeln in unter zwei Minuten. Arnold Böcklin: Villa am Meer (1871-74), Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main. https://sammlung.staedelmuseum.de/de/werk/villa-am-meer#yt