Zwei nackte Mädchen mit Blumen (Original Title) 1923

This woodcut, Zwei nackte Mädchen mit Blumen, or Two Nude Girls with Flowers, was made by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. Can you imagine the act of carving into wood? This is not paint that smudges, but a line that is precisely cut away. Looking at the intense contrast of black and white, I wonder, what was Kirchner thinking about when he made this print? Was he trying to reduce the form to its most essential elements? Or was he trying to capture the raw, unbridled energy of the natural world? There is a kind of honesty in Kirchner's bold lines. His work often explores themes of alienation and urban life, but here, there's a sense of vulnerability and tenderness, as the figures share an intimate moment, surrounded by the dense foliage. Painters are always in conversation, you know? Looking back, looking forward, inspiring each other. Kirchner's work echoes the intense emotion of Van Gogh, but pushes into a new space, trying to make sense of a changing world. His work reminds us that painting can be a way of feeling and grappling with uncertainty.