2Knabe mit Hund

Mammen‘s painting ”Knabe mit Hund” (Boy with dog) depicts a street scene like many others she produced in her naturalist phase. Light beige and pastel hues emphasize the everyday, peaceful atmosphere in the image. There is a suggestion of the background, in which a door and stairway can be recognized. In the foreground sits a boy in shorts with his legs crossed. He is looking at the dog by his side. It, in turn, is facing the viewer with its ears pricked up and attentive. The boy‘s left arm is hanging, and his hand is touching the dog‘s flank. His right arm is bent and the hand moving toward the dog‘s head. Here Mammen is experimenting with the dissolution of form and perspective typical of cubism. The right side of the boy‘s head is in profile, with the eye closed, while the left side faces the front and the eye is open. The dog‘s head is seen in multiple perspectives as well. The bodies of both the boy and dog are broken into abstract, segmented shapes.