Lovers (The kiss) 1930

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made "Lovers (The Kiss)" with oil on canvas; its exact date is unknown. The first thing I notice is that Kirchner isn't trying to show us a realistic kiss. Instead, he’s giving us a vision of embrace through a Fauvist lense. Look at how the figures meld into each other. The colors are pretty intense - lavenders, blues, and reds are all crammed into the same space. There's this amazing combination of angular and soft lines, it feels both fragile and strong, as though it might break, or crumble. The hands, pressed together, seem to emphasize that feeling. I’m reminded of Munch, but Kirchner's mark-making is way more fractured and urgent. Ultimately, this isn't just about two people kissing; it’s about the whole messy, complicated experience of love and how that feels like a living, breathing process.