Zwei Mädchen bei der Toilette 1909

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made "Zwei Mädchen bei der Toilette" with crayon, and the image is made up of dominant gestural marks. Looking at this, I can imagine Kirchner's hand moving quickly, capturing the essence of these figures with a few strokes. I’m thinking, what’s it like to be Kirchner in this moment? He's trying to pin down not just what he sees, but how these women *feel*. There’s something so raw and immediate about the marks, and the crayon adds this scratchy texture that heightens the sense of intimacy. It reminds me of other artists who use line to convey emotion, like Matisse, but Kirchner’s got this restless energy that’s all his own. The strokes of red, yellow, and green that make up the skirts feel like they’re breathing. Painters, we're all talking to each other, across time, inspiring each other to see and feel and make. This piece embodies that messy, ambiguous, and totally beautiful conversation.