Blond Woman in a Red Dress, Portrait of Elisabeth Hembus 1932

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner painted Blond Woman in a Red Dress, Portrait of Elisabeth Hembus, likely in the early 20th century. Kirchner's palette sings with dissonant harmonies, colors that clash yet create a strangely captivating tension. You can sense he’s working quickly, not trying to make it perfect. Look at how the paint has been applied, thin in places, almost translucent, then thick and juicy, especially in the figure's red dress. The dress itself, built up from thin horizontal strokes, shimmers, almost like it’s breathing. There’s a vulnerability in that exposed surface. The physicality of the medium is so present, you feel like you could run your hands over it and know something of the artist. It reminds me of some of the bold color choices Matisse was making at the time, although Kirchner has a slightly more fevered edge. Like all great art, this piece embraces ambiguity, inviting multiple interpretations.