Paar, im Garten gehend 1913

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this drypoint etching, "Paar, im Garten gehend," which translates to "Couple Walking in a Garden," using decisive lines to define form. The texture here is created by the density and directionality of the lines, and it’s interesting how Kirchner doesn't try to hide the physicality of the medium. You can almost feel the scratch of the needle on the plate, making it feel immediate and raw. Notice how the figures are enveloped by the environment, their forms merging with the surrounding foliage. There's a mark, like a bold slash, across the middle of the image that disrupts the scene and brings the surface to the foreground, acting as a bridge between representation and abstraction. Kirchner was part of a movement called 'Die Brucke' or 'The Bridge,' and I think this piece is interesting because it shows a bridge between reality and the artist’s inner world. Like Munch, Kirchner wasn’t interested in showing the world as it is, but as it felt.