November 1896

Eugen Kirchner made this print, titled "November", which makes use of etching on a zinc plate. We can consider this image in the context of German history, though the image does not give us a date. Etchings like these were often made into prints to be sold at low cost, thereby democratizing the consumption of art, and expanding the art market beyond the patronage of the wealthy. The scene depicts a street in what might be a Northern European city, with a crowd of pedestrians walking down a street on a cold day. We might want to know: what did the art market look like in Germany in the early 20th century? Were there specific printmaking workshops that Kirchner would have been associated with? What were the economic conditions that made prints such an attractive medium for artists at this time? To answer these questions, we can consult historical sources and institutional archives. By looking into such historical resources, we can come to a better understanding of what Kirchner was trying to say with this image.