“This intense self-portrait by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner captures him with a young girl, showcasing the raw emotional power and angular forms of Expressionism, painted just before the upheaval of World War I.”
In this striking self-portrait from 1914, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner places himself in a domestic interior, his gaze direct and challenging as he holds a young girl close. The composition is tight, almost claustrophobic, with the figures rendered in the angular, almost jagged style characteristic of Expressionism. The girl, perhaps a model or a companion, leans into him, her expression more ambiguous than his intense stare. The palette is muted yet vibrant, with deep blues and greens contrasting with the warmer tones of their skin and clothing, drawing the eye to the emotional intensity of the scene. This work dates to a pivotal moment just before Kirchner volunteered for military service in World War I, a period that would profoundly impact his mental and physical health.
- Artist
- Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
- Date
- 1914
- Location
- Neue Nationalgalerie
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.
The artist's sharp, almost skeletal features and direct gaze.
The girl's ambiguous expression and how she leans into Kirchner.
The angular lines and flat planes that define the figures and background.
The contrast between the cool background colors and the warm skin tones.
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Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
1880–1938 · German ReichErnst Ludwig Kirchner, a founder of the revolutionary Die Brücke group, reshaped German art with his raw, emotional Expressionist vision.
Further Works by Kirchner
NUDE AT THE MIRROR
Frauenkopf vor Sonnenblumen
1906 · Museum Frieder Burda
Female Nude (Dodo)
1909 · Albertina
Wrestlers in a Circus
1909 · Cleveland Museum of Art
Blue Girl in the Sun
1910
Pfortensteg Chemnitz
1910 · Museum Frieder Burda
Burg on Fehmarn
1912 · Westphalian State Museum of Art and Cultural History
Portrait of Alfred Döblin
1912 · Busch–Reisinger Museum
More from Die Brucke
More works to explore
Beyond Kirchner and Die Brucke: works from the same years.
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray
Piet Mondrian · 1921 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Bull's Head
Mikhail Larionov · 1913 · Tretyakov Gallery
Same era · 1890s–1920s
The Lineman
Ivan Puni · 1927 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Standing Nude with Orange Drapery (recto): Study of Nude with Arms Raised (verso)
Egon Schiele · 1914 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1890s–1920s
The Magic Foot-ball, 'I thought you were wrong,' he said in triumph. 'You said it was nine! Stupid!'
Norman Rockwell · 1914 · Norman Rockwell Museum
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Irises
Claude Monet · 1915 · National Gallery
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Man with a Pipe
Pablo Picasso · 1915 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Sellar Alp, Dolomites
John Singer Sargent · 1913 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Still Life with Glass, Dice, Newspaper and Playing Card
Georges Braque · 1913 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Laurette with a Cup of Coffee
Henri Matisse · 1916 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Birth
Marc Chagall · 1911 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Death in the Garden (Legend)
Paul Klee · 1919 · Art Institute of Chicago