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Erna Lying on the Beach among Rocks

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

1912

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Early Modern Nude

Dominant colour

Erna Lying on the Beach among Rocks is a 1912 ink by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
When & what style?: 1912
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing shows a person lying on their stomach on a beach. Their body is drawn in simple, wavy lines, and their hair fans out like a dark cloud. Above them, three small shapes look like rocks or waves, and their arms stretch out toward them. The artist used quick, sketchy lines instead of smooth curves. The ink is thick in some spots, like the hair, but light in others. Next, look up cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with lines.