Frame and Preparation
Neue Sachlichkeit and the New Woman
Conceptual Frames and Background
- Female painter
- Weimar Republic
- Berlin
- Nightlife
- Prostitution
- Advertising
- Female identity
- Female same-sex desire
- Heterosexual relationships
- Neue Frau
- Exoticism & non-Western influences
Introduction
Jeanne Mammet’s paintings embrace Berlin nightlife and expressions of non-normative sexuality and gender roles, typically through representations of young women. Her works are associated with the Neue Sachlichkeit movement which shifted towards disillusioned, unsentimental or more objective representations and away from abstraction in the wake of the Expressionism movement. As a starting point, some suggested portraits for this discussion include:
Die Rothaarige (1928)
Sie repräsentiert (1928)
Lesbos (1928)
Das Schwulenlokal (1929)
Preparation
Depending on how much you want to focus on the history of art and wider aesthetic trends of the Weimar Republic/early 20th century Germany (like Neue Sachlichkeit or art nouveau), you may need to give students an overview of these various trends and movements in visual art, as few, if any, will have knowledge to contextualize Mammen’s artwork.
The following powerpoint shows some of her works, followed by that of contemporaneous artists:
Text and Discussion
Discussion Questions
- Many of the people portrayed in this art have “non-traditional” European features, seemingly exoticized to mimic stereotypical images of non-Western peoples. What could this mix of artistic influences mean?
- Most of Mammen’s work captures Berlin’s seedy nightlife and the various states of being of those at various parties, clubs, bars, etc. How would you describe the feelings, emotions, relationships, identities of those portrayed?
- How does Mammen comment on the relationship between gender, sexuality, and class, especially through the figure of the prostitute?
- What images of non-normative sexuality do we receive here? How are lesbians and gay men portrayed in these paintings?
- How is eroticism depicted here? What general messages do you think can be read from these works?
- Mammen was also a popular illustrator for advertisements during the Weimar Republic, especially for cosmetic and clothing adverts for women. Can you see this influence in her “higher” art here?
- What is the relationship between advertisement and female self-image and identity?
- What role does eroticism play in one’s identity here?
- Describe Mammen’s form, such as her use of bright colors, diffuse lines and boundaries, and overall gloomy tone. How do these aspects affect how we view the art and the people in it?
- Mammen mostly portrayed young women in the big city, capturing the different types and presentations of Neue Frau or “New Woman” like the masculine, elegant, and cool “garconne” or the feminine, flirty, and sporty “Girl.” Can we see different types of “new women” in these paintings? If so, how does Mammen signify to us who they are?