Straßenszene, nach dem Regen 1914

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this woodcut, "Street Scene after the Rain," sometime in his career. Just imagine Kirchner, carving into that block of wood, pushing against the resistance of the material. Those sharp, angular lines really carve out this busy street scene. There's a real tension in the way he’s arranged the figures, this crowded feeling, like people bumping into each other on a busy sidewalk. You can almost hear the city sounds – clattering hooves, distant music, indistinct conversations that together create the atmosphere of a metropolis. And that stark contrast between black and white – it gives everything a heightened drama, a kind of edgy intensity. It reminds me of other German Expressionist artists, grappling with the anxieties of modern life. I wonder if Kirchner felt alienated amidst the hustle and bustle, searching for connection but finding only fleeting encounters. Maybe he’s looking at Edvard Munch, maybe Nolde... it's a club, you know?