Fanny Wocke

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

1916

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Early Modern

About this work

This print shows a woman’s face half-hidden by a large hat with a wide brim. The hat’s feathers and shape dominate the picture, almost swallowing her features. The background is dark, with only a few faint lines suggesting clouds or trees. The artist used sharp, jagged lines to carve the image—this is a woodcut, where ink is pressed into carved wood. The rough edges give it a raw, almost sketchy feel. Next, check out woodcut to see how this printing method works.