by Alexandra Tuschka
A young nude with red hair curiously looks at herself in the mirror. She likes what she sees - her mouth is surrounded by a gentle smile. Her shapely back is also shown in a mirror on the wall. The girl has taken a seat on a green upholstered armchair; where there is also a small monkey. This looks curiously to the right edge of the picture. There is a white, flared evening dress - does the lady want to go out today?
The monkey has already since ancient times high symbolic content and stands for fornication, evil - generally for the depicted's depravity. In this case - in connection with the title, which anyway evokes association with the 7 deadly sins. Compared to his contemporaries, Friedrich worked less ornamentally than a Klimt, but softer than a Schiele or Kokoschka.
Otto Friedrich - Vanity
Oil on canvas, 1904, 130 x 125 cm privately owned
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