Head of Dr. Robert Binswanger (the Student) 1917 - 1918

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this compelling woodcut, "Head of Dr. Robert Binswanger (the Student)", using stark black ink on paper. It’s all about the cuts here, isn't it? Bold, graphic, and totally raw. The way Kirchner carved into the wood, it's like he's not just depicting a face, but slicing into the very idea of portraiture. You can almost feel the blade at work. The lines are so insistent, so full of anxious energy. Look at the eyes, how they seem to be both staring out and turned inward. The hatching is so dense here that it gives this area a tangible weight. I'm thinking of Käthe Kollwitz, another German artist who wasn't afraid to use woodcuts to get real and to probe the depths of human emotion. With Kirchner, just like with Kollwitz, it's about embracing the material, letting the process become part of the message. It’s not about perfection; it's about honesty.