Four Bathers 

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s “Four Bathers” offers a striking visual experience through its bold use of colour and form. Painted with what appears to be oil on canvas, the composition features a group of nude figures set against a landscape of water, sky and land. The painting's emotional impact derives from Kirchner's expressionistic style. His use of non-naturalistic colours and abstracted forms evoke a sense of raw, untamed nature. The bodies of the figures are rendered in tones of reds and yellows, set against the deep blues of the water, creating a visual tension that is jarring. This challenges the established meanings of beauty and representation. The painting engages with new ways of thinking about perception and expression, moving away from traditional academic styles towards a more subjective, emotionally charged representation of the world. Ultimately, the painting's fractured forms, harsh lines, and discordant colours, function not just aesthetically but as part of a larger cultural and philosophical discourse. It reflects the alienation and anxiety felt during a period of rapid social and technological change.