Who painted Lady in the Rain?

Lady in the Rain was painted by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner in 1914.

Where can I see Lady in the Rain?

Lady in the Rain is held by National Gallery of Art.

Can I buy a print of Lady in the Rain?

Museum-quality prints of Lady in the Rain are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Lady in the Rain

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner , 1914

Lady in the Rain is an ink print by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. It dates from 1914 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower right in graphite: E.L. Kirchner; bottom left by later hand in graphite: S.I 237; 1564/19

About this work

Overview

Created in 1914, Lady in the Rain is a black‑ink lithograph by German artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. The work belongs to the early‑twentieth‑century expressionist movement and reflects Kirchner’s involvement with the avant‑garde collective Die Brücke. It presents a single, isolated figure rendered with the bold, emotive line work that characterises his prints.

Subject & Meaning

The image shows a woman standing alone beneath a downpour, her coat drawn tightly around her body. Rain is suggested by thick, irregular strokes that merge the figure with the surrounding darkness, while her partially concealed face adds a sense of anonymity and emotional tension, evoking feelings of solitude and urgency.

Technique & Style

Kirchner employed the lithographic process, drawing directly onto a smooth limestone surface with greasy ink. When the stone is moistened and pressed onto paper, the ink transfers, producing lines that are simultaneously crisp and blurred. This dual quality mirrors the visual texture of rain and reinforces the work’s expressive, gestural aesthetic.

History & Provenance

The print was produced during a prolific period for Kirchner, shortly before his relocation to Switzerland amid World War I. As a member of Die Brücke, he used lithography to disseminate his expressionist ideas beyond painting. Lady in the Rain has since entered public and private collections, illustrating the artist’s commitment to graphic media as a vehicle for his visual language.