Standing Youth

work by Lehmbruck

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June 17, 2026

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Wilhelm Lehmbruck's Standing Youth (1913) is a sculpture characterized by its elongated, angular form, conveying a sense of melancholy and modern heroism. Created during World War I, the work reflects the artist's profound depression stemming from his experiences with wounded soldiers. Lehmbruck, a German sculptor known for his elongated nudes, was influenced by Auguste Rodin and Aristide Maillol, but developed a more psychologically powerful and less naturalistic style. While not formally part of the German Expressionist movement, his work shares its emotional intensity and distorted features. Standing Youth exemplifies Lehmbruck's mature style, where figures appear to grow from the earth, expressing a spiritualized view of humanity.12

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Western sculpture
Avant-garde sculpture (1909–20)
…the Kneeling Woman (1911) and Standing Youth (1913), in which his gothicized, elongated bodies with their angular posturings and appearance of growing from the earth give expression to his notions of modern heroism. In contrast to this spiritualized view is his The Fallen (1915–16), intended as a compassionate memorial for…
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…the Kneeling Woman (1911) and Standing Youth (1913), in which his gothicized, elongated bodies with their angular posturings and appearance of growing from the earth give expression to his notions of modern heroism. In contrast to this spiritualized view is his The Fallen (1915–16), intended as a compassionate memorial for…
Read More