About this artwork

This relief is thought to have been inspired by the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922, an event which had a major and immediate impact in the art world. A pyramid can be seen in the background and the tall figures mimic the stylized profiles found in Egyptian art. Schwitters is also using the composition to explore the relationship between real and pictorial space. The red line at the top links the real and painted curved forms and the tall figure on the right has a painted shadow to give the illusion of depth.

Updated before 2020

  • artist:
    Kurt Schwitters (1887 - 1948) German
  • title:
    Ohne Titel (Relief mit roter Pyramide) [Untitled (Relief with Red Pyramid)]
  • date created:
    About 1927 - 1930
  • materials:
    Oil on wood relief on plywood
  • measurements:
    60.00 x 50.20 cm (relief size); 78.80 x 68.10 x 10.10 cm (framed size)
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh: purchased 1979
  • accession number:
    GMA 2077
  • gallery:
  • subject:
  • glossary:
  • artwork photographed by:
    Antonia Reeve
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Kurt Schwitters

Kurt Schwitters