The artwork titled “221 Arabian Woman” was created by the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser in the year 1955. This piece is a lithography, a medium that involves printing from a flat surface, typically a stone or a metal plate, traditionally used in fine art printmaking. The artwork is associated with the Transautomatism movement, which is rooted in Hundertwasser’s philosophy of a spontaneous, automatic way of creating art that engages the unconscious. The genre of the artwork is figurative, depicting human form or figure.
The artwork is characterized by a striking use of color and an abstracted portrayal of the human form. The central figure features elements that may be interpreted as facial features, with bold geometrical and organic shapes intersecting to form the figure’s visage. Prominent circular patterns, reminiscent of ripples or waves, appear throughout, particularly around what seems to be the figure’s eyes and mouth. The eyes are distinctly almond-shaped with red and white coloring, demarcating the figure’s gaze. The artwork’s background is equally vibrant, with a mosaic of multi-colored rectangles and shapes. The color palette is rich with a predominance of blues and reds, interspersed with hints of other hues.
The intricate play of line and chromatic juxtaposition evokes a sense of depth and complexity within the composition. The use of space and unconventional approach to form align with Hundertwasser’s known rejection of the straight line and his pursuit of organic irregularity. The figurative element within the artwork serves as a nexus for the exploration of abstract visual language, demonstrating the artist’s unique synthesis of the representational and the abstract.
