Self-portrait 1932

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this stark self-portrait, we don't know when, with what looks like a woodcut technique. It’s all about the push and pull of black and white, a graphic punch to the face. Look at the way Kirchner carves out his features. It’s like he's attacking the block, leaving these raw, almost brutal lines. It’s as if he's trying to strip away any pretense, any mask. The mouth hangs open, not quite a scream, but definitely not a smile. See those three lines on his forehead? They're not just wrinkles; they’re like a brand, a mark of some inner turmoil. Kirchner was part of Die Brücke, a group of German Expressionists, and this print feels like a concentrated dose of their angst. It reminds me a little of Munch, you know, that same sense of existential dread, but with a more graphic edge. It's rough, it's raw, and it's real.