Wehrlin, Facing front 1924

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this intense woodcut portrait, Wehrlin, Facing Front, sometime in the early 20th century. The thing that strikes me is the starkness, it's all about black and white, absence and presence. Look closely at the way Kirchner uses these contrasting lines. It's like he's carving out the essence of this person, Wehrlin, with quick, decisive cuts. Notice the face, how the eyes are these deep, dark pools that draw you in, and then there's this almost brutal simplicity to the nose and mouth. Then there's that intriguing circle under the mouth! What’s that about? Kirchner was part of the Expressionist movement, and you see that urgency in his marks. It’s almost like a raw scream captured on paper. I wonder if artists like Paula Modersohn-Becker saw this print, I can see it resonating with her explorations of the human face and form. Ultimately, it's about the act of seeing and feeling, and that's what makes it stick with you, right?