August Macke’s Zwei Mädchen (orientalischer Entwurf)—Two Girls (Oriental Design)—of 1912 draws its two female figures into a close, asymmetrical arrangement of tilted heads, interlocking bodies and saturated colour. One woman reclines across the foreground, her face modelled in warm pinks and touches of yellow and orange; beside her, a dark-haired companion looks directly out of the composition beneath a vivid red headpiece. Deep blue, green and black sharpen the surrounding colour, while foliage, fabric and patterned objects turn the intimate scene into something deliberately decorative and increasingly abstract.

Macke was a leading figure in German Expressionism and closely associated with Der Blaue Reiter, the Munich-based group that placed particular emphasis on colour as an independent expressive force. Painted during a period of rapid experimentation in European art, this work reveals his characteristic ability to transform the figure into an arrangement of luminous planes and rhythmic contours. The parenthetical phrase in the title reflects the era’s European fascination with an imagined “Orient”: a broad and often highly stylised category through which artists approached non-European dress, ornament and design. Here, that context is registered less as a specific geographical setting than as a decorative pictorial vocabulary.

A closer look

The figures occupy almost the entire foreground, leaving little neutral space around them. At the left, the reclining woman’s head is gently inclined, her orange-toned hair and fine facial contours standing out against passages of green. Her skin is not treated naturalistically throughout: pink, yellow and red accents shift across the face and body, allowing colour to describe form while retaining its own visual intensity. The second woman is more frontal. Her blue-black hair frames a pale, strongly delineated face, and her direct gaze provides a point of stillness within the otherwise mobile pattern of diagonals.

Colour establishes both depth and rhythm. Warm flesh tones press forward against cooler blues and verdant greens, while darker passages act almost like structural anchors. Along the lower edge, pale green drapery supports the figures and carries the eye horizontally across the composition. Its folds are suggested through changing strokes and blocks of tone rather than meticulously rendered fabric, maintaining the painting’s balance between recognisable description and formal simplification.

On the right, a large black vase makes one of the composition’s strongest interruptions. Its dark body, enlivened by red geometric marks, contrasts emphatically with the lighter faces and garments. Loosely formed leaves appear towards the upper left, while a yellow-green area near the centre opens a brief interval of brightness. These background elements do not construct a fully coherent interior or landscape; instead, they operate as overlapping patches of pattern and colour, binding the two women to their surroundings.

Context and significance

In Macke’s work, modernity often emerges not through dramatic narrative but through the reorganisation of ordinary or figurative subjects. Contour is simplified, conventional perspective loosened and colour liberated from strict imitation. Zwei Mädchen belongs to this experimental climate: the women remain immediately legible, yet the composition continually encourages attention to red against blue-black, warm pink against green, and curved bodies against angular ornament.

The painting also carries the cultural complexities of its date. European modernists frequently borrowed from objects, costumes and motifs presented as “Oriental”, often without identifying their distinct origins. Macke’s title openly places the work within that history of exoticism. Seen today, its interest lies both in the seductive chromatic language of early German Expressionism and in the way decorative fantasy was used to move the human figure away from academic naturalism and towards a more compressed, modern pictorial space.

Choosing the right size and finish

Artwork can feel intimate at smaller sizes and dramatically more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to see how the proportions and scale will work in your space.

If you need an exact size, specialist framing or help planning a larger display, ask our workshop for advice.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this art print.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. See examples of personalised artwork.

Choose Original to retain the colour and character of the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer, more antique appearance. See examples of our Aged artwork.

Every piece is produced to archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte art paper. Choose an art print, framed art print or framed canvas using the finish options above.

Framed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic for excellent clarity, lower weight and safer delivery than glass. Each piece arrives professionally framed and ready to hang.

Selected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and specialist framing are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, contact our workshop.

This artwork is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The work is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present an art print without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas art and explore the differences between my different finishes.