Landscape in Graubünder with Sun Rays 

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this landscape painting with oil on canvas, probably during his time in Switzerland, where he lived from 1917 until his death in 1938. The bold brushstrokes of the paint not only depict the alpine scenery, but they also contribute to the emotional intensity of the scene, evoking a sense of awe. Kirchner was part of the expressionist group Die Brücke, and like other expressionist artists, he prioritized subjective experience over objective representation. He uses the qualities of oil paint – its thickness, its capacity for vivid color – to evoke a raw, unfiltered emotional state. The quick, gestural marks suggests a rapid, almost frantic application of paint, which serves as a physical manifestation of the artist's inner turmoil. There's a real tension here between the beauty of the landscape, and the artist's troubled mental state. Considering the expressive potential of materials and the social context in which they are crafted helps us to fully appreciate the meaning of this artwork.