Self-portrait with Model 

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner created this ‘Self-Portrait with Model’ using colored crayons, a medium often used for children’s drawings. The marks are direct, the colors are bold and unmodulated. The visible strokes contribute to the overall effect. They allow the paper to show through, creating texture and visual interest. This immediacy is important, because Kirchner was part of a movement called Expressionism. These artists wanted to communicate raw emotion, and so they valued directness. Looking closely, you can see how Kirchner made myriad decisions, with each color adding to the overall image. The blue flattens space, while the red and orange bring a sense of warmth and energy. Ultimately, the apparent casualness of the crayon belies the complexity of the final effect. Kirchner embraced an informal medium, and the speed of the technique freed him to express complex ideas about the relationship between the artist and model, art and life, high and low.