Drei Bauern 1922

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this drawing with ink, and it's all about the power of the line. The artist's hand moved across the page, and then these figures materialized into being. I feel for Kirchner, as he pushes through the scratchy lines, defining and redefining forms. I wonder what he was thinking when he drew these three farmers, bunching them up in the frame so their presence is imposing. Look at the central farmer, how he is hunched over, his hands clasped to his chest, in what looks like either great distress, or perhaps he is just trying to keep warm? The sharp lines of the drawing feel uneasy and scratchy, like something bad is about to happen. His drawing style reminds me of other German Expressionist artists. It's like they are all in dialogue, grappling with similar ideas and anxieties. You know, painting and drawing is a process of exchange, where artists riff off each other’s work, building on the past while forging something new.