Zwei Mädchen auf einem Divan c. 1909

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this drawing, Zwei Mädchen auf einem Divan, with pastels on paper. Here, the artist’s chosen materials immediately signal a departure from traditional fine art practices. Unlike oil paint, which can be blended smoothly to create the illusion of reality, pastel has a dry, chalky texture. Kirchner makes no attempt to disguise this quality. Instead, he uses it to create a sense of immediacy and rawness. Notice how the strokes of pastel are clearly visible, and the colors are not blended seamlessly. The medium allows for expressive mark-making and a sense of spontaneity that aligns with the Expressionist movement’s emphasis on subjective experience. This is not the work of a highly trained academic painter. It is more like the direct, unfiltered expression of an artist grappling with the complexities of modern life. By embracing the immediacy of pastel, Kirchner challenges conventional notions of artistic skill and elevates the raw, unfiltered expression of emotion. This piece reminds us that art is not just about technical mastery, but about the artist’s ability to convey a unique perspective on the world.