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Head Waiter in Café

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

1904

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Early Modern Interior

Dominant colour

Head Waiter in Café is a 1904 ink by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
When & what style?: 1904
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This painting shows a café’s dim corner with a waiter leaning on a counter. The walls are bright orange with wavy lines, and a greenish statue sits on a pedestal in the back. A yellow lamp glows over the counter, where a bottle and glass are placed. The artist used bold colors and sharp shapes to show the scene’s energy. The lines and blocks look like they were carved into wood. Next, look up woodcut to see how artists make prints this way.