Lithe and playful, these young women embody the spirited tempo suggested by the work's title, Scherzo. Friedrich painted this scene as part of a series of five canvases in which nude figures evoke different musical rhythms. The artist was a founder and active member of the pioneering Secession artists' circle, along with Gustav Klimt.
Otto Friedrich (Austrian, 1862–1937). Scherzo, 1913. Tempera on canvas