Kopf Prof. E K. (Original Title) 1920

This is Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's 'Kopf Prof. E K', and it's not a painting, but a print! You can tell because the lines are so sharp and have this specific kind of graphic quality. I'm really drawn to the raw energy of the lines. Kirchner’s got this nervous energy and a restless way of capturing the professor, right? It’s all scratchy and intense, like he’s trying to get at something deeper than just the surface. I can imagine him hunched over the plate, etching away, trying to capture the essence of this guy. Is it admiration? Annoyance? Hard to say, and I love that. It reminds me a bit of other expressionist portraits, like Heckel's heads – where it's not so much about likeness but about conveying a feeling, an inner state. It's like Kirchner's saying, "Here's what it feels like to be in a room with this professor." Which, honestly, is way more interesting than just seeing what he looks like.