Frau vor dem Spiegel 1910

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner captured this figure in front of a mirror with crayon on paper. The drawing presents a figure enveloped by a dense environment, delineated through forceful, angular strokes. The composition is dominated by contrasts—the dark, almost aggressive marks that define the space around the figure and the softer, grey tones that model the woman's form. This use of line and shadow constructs a visual tension, evoking a sense of unease. Kirchner, like many Expressionists, used formal distortions to express psychological states. Here, the drawing’s raw, unfinished quality unsettles the conventional idea of the mirror as a site of self-affirmation, suggesting alienation. The occasional use of colour, such as the muted red streak and the solid green block, serve not to describe but to disrupt the monochrome palette. They act as visual jolts, heightening the drawing’s emotional intensity. This strategy underscores Kirchner’s broader project of challenging fixed meanings, inviting us to reconsider the unstable relationship between appearance and reality.