Dancers and Performers (Page from a Sketchbook) c. 1911

This is a page from a sketchbook by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, rendered in pencil. Kirchner was a German expressionist painter and printmaker. Kirchner, along with other artists of Die Brücke, sought to overturn academic painting and create a new artistic vocabulary that was raw, honest, and modern. This sketch offers a glimpse into Kirchner’s process of capturing fleeting moments of modern life. The dancers and performers depicted here reflect the era’s fascination with movement, performance, and the body. Kirchner's work often engages with themes of alienation and the psychological impact of urban life. His sketches, like this one, are intimate portrayals, capturing a sense of spontaneity and immediacy, and allowing viewers to connect with the emotional undercurrents of his subjects. Kirchner develops alternative narratives that capture the energy and complexity of human experience.