Mirror, No. 2 - Max Weber

A 1928 lithograph by Max Weber depicting five female figures in a dressing room. This work reflects Weber's expressive figurative style and his interest in sculptural form.

Max Weber was a central figure in the introduction of European modernism to the United States. Born in Russia and moving to New York as a child, he later studied in Paris where he became acquainted with Henri Matisse and Henri Rousseau. This lithograph, titled Mirror, No. 2, dates from 1928. It demonstrates Weber's shift from his earlier Cubist experiments toward a sculptural figurative style. The composition features five female figures in an interior. The figures are rendered with heavy, dark outlines and tonal shading that suggests volume. Weber uses the lithographic crayon to create a range of textures, from the dense blacks of the background to the softer greys on the skin of the subjects. The arrangement of the women, some standing and others reclining, creates a sense of depth within the shallow space. In this work, Weber explores the classical theme of the toilette. The figures are engaged in various stages of dressing or grooming. A mirror serves as a point of interest for the figures in the background. The influence of Paul Cézanne is visible in the simplified forms and the way the figures are integrated into the surrounding space. This print is part of a series where Weber examined the female form through a modernist lens. He prioritised structural solidity over delicate detail.