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Secrets and other curiosities

Detalle de la firma en forma de anagrama “19D26” de la obra de Dix, “Hugo Erfurth con perro”

The secret inscriptions of Dix

Detail of the inscription on the back of Dix's painting, "Hugo Erfurth with dog"
Detalle de la inscripción del reverso de la obra de Dix, “Hugo Erfurth con perro”

In the process of studying the painting Hugo Erfurth with a dog, we discovered some inscriptions that were decisive for our research.

There are two inscriptions signed by Dix on the back that provide information about the painting. The first one refers to the technique and offers advise for handling:

“Mixed technique. Last layer oil. Linseed oil.”

“It should not be varnished before Sept. 27. Dix” 

The second one, located in the upper right corner and smaller in size, gives facts on the varnish’s commercial brand: “Lukas matt. Mixed with bee’s wax 50/50”.

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The face revealed

If you look at the reverse of the work, you will be surprised to see a design sketched in black. It is a face with the eyes, the line of the nose and the outline of the right side clearly marked. More curious still is that the same design is repeated on the front of the painting. Münter used a very similar type of stroke on both sides of the support, reproducing the forms and proportions, as if to create an identical design on the back and front of the painting.

 
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A mysterious horse

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