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Untitled

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

1918

ink

From the collection of Museum of Modern Art

Early Modern Portrait

Dominant colour

Untitled is a 1918 ink by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, held at Museum of Modern Art.

Who painted this?: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
When & what style?: 1918
Where can I see it?: Museum of Modern Art

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a bearded man with deep-set eyes and a serious expression. His hair is wild, almost like flames, and the lines around his face are sharp and uneven. The background is dark with faint shapes that look like buildings or figures, but they’re hard to make out. The artist used a woodcut technique, which means they carved the design into wood and then printed it. This makes the lines look rough and textured, giving the whole piece a raw, almost sketchy feel. If you like this style, look up woodcut to see how it works.