Ruderer 1928

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this watercolour drawing called ‘Ruderer,’ which means 'rowers' in German, with fluid washes and bold outlines. It's like he's figuring out the scene as he goes, letting the colours bleed and the lines wobble. Look at the black lines; they’re so decisive, almost violent, corralling the watery colours. The palette feels spontaneous, a quick capture of light and form. There's one figure in the front with yellow skin and a green contour line, almost like a stain. I wonder if Kirchner thought about the psychological effect of his colour combinations, because the result can feel quite jarring. Kirchner shares some similarities with Matisse, particularly in their shared interest in vibrant colour and bold, simplified forms, yet Kirchner's work has a raw, emotional intensity. It’s this immediacy that makes you feel the urgency of the artist’s vision, like a fleeting moment captured on paper. It's a process of seeing, feeling, and transcribing all at once.