As far as we know, this portfolio is the only such collection of Pechstein watercolours explicitly to explore an erotic theme, and we can only be reasonably sure of this because of the inclusion of his trademark ‘HMP’ signature on each of the paintings – unless of course a forger was attempting to implicate and profit from the artist’s reputation.

The subject matter is fairly standard fare for the period, though well drawn and coloured; the inclusion of two homoerotic drawings demonstrates that the subject was far from taboo in Weimar Berlin. Although the portfolio, which we have titled Zusammentreffen (Encounters), is undated, we suspect it was created in the early 1920s.

We are very grateful to Hans-Jürgen Döpp for these images; Hans-Jürgen, the compiler of many books on erotic art, curates the Venusberg online gallery and bookshop which you can find here.