Violinistin vor Bild c. 1929

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this drawing, Violinistin vor Bild, with pencil on paper. See how Kirchner's pencil lines dance and vibrate, almost like the strings of a violin. It is a process of searching, layering lines to find the form. The textures vary from dense, dark hatching to light, almost transparent marks. Look at the violin itself; it's not just an object but a collection of lines, a construction of planes and angles. The dark shading creates a sense of volume, but the overall effect is one of flatness. Notice the way the artist renders the hair; dark and solid yet still made up of individual strokes. Kirchner seems to be in conversation with the Cubists, but with an Expressionist twist. Like Picasso, he breaks down forms, but there’s a raw, emotional energy in his lines that feels very unique. It’s this combination of formal experimentation and emotional intensity that makes his work so compelling.