Spruces in the mountains c. 1925

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this drawing of spruces in the mountains using ink and brush. Can you imagine Kirchner, maybe in a flurry, creating these quick and gestural marks? There’s something immediate about the brushstrokes, like he’s capturing the essence of the forest in one go. The ink is fluid, like watercolor, but it’s also got this stark contrast that adds to the drama. I imagine him looking at a painting by Munch and thinking: 'I want to do that'. He has a knack for capturing the feeling of being surrounded by nature, the towering trees, the cool shadows. His dark marks could be his way of working through some intense emotions. Lots of artists, like Kirchner, have used art to process their feelings and experiences. The work of art, in its emotional intensity, becomes a meeting place between artists and their public.