Wehrlin, Facing front

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's woodcut, "Wehrlin, Facing front," created in 1924, showcases his distinctive Expressionist style. Kirchner was a pivotal figure in the German Expressionist group Die Brücke (The Bridge), which he co-founded in 1905. The group aimed to forge a new artistic expression, moving away from traditional academic styles and reviving older media like woodcut prints, which they saw as connecting the past and present. This piece, made a decade after the dissolution of Die Brücke, still carries the raw, angular energy characteristic of his earlier work. By 1924, Kirchner was living in Davos, Switzerland, having moved there in 1917 following a mental breakdown during World War I and struggles with addiction. His later work, while retaining strong graphic qualities, often reflected a more introspective mood, though the direct gaze of Wehrlin here maintains a powerful intensity. The choice of woodcut, a medium Kirchner frequently employed throughout his career (as seen in works like "Portrait of Otto Mueller" and "Bathers Throwing Reeds"), allowed him to achieve bold lines and stark contrasts, perfectly suited to the emotional directness he sought.