Head of Dr. Bauer
1921
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1921
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Head of Dr. Bauer is a 1921 ink by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a face turned slightly away, with loose, sketchy lines. The hair is long and wavy, drawn in quick strokes of yellow and black. The background is mostly blank, with faint outlines of another figure on the right. The artist used a mix of etching and drypoint to create sharp lines, then wiped yellow ink over parts to add warmth. The face looks half-finished, like a quick study. Next, check out etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how these techniques work.