Who painted Little Variety Act with Singer?

Little Variety Act with Singer was painted by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner in 1909.

Where can I see Little Variety Act with Singer?

Little Variety Act with Singer is held by National Gallery of Art.

Can I buy a print of Little Variety Act with Singer?

Museum-quality prints of Little Variety Act with Singer are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Little Variety Act with Singer

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner , 1909

Little Variety Act with Singer is an ink print by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. It dates from 1909 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner produced the hand‑coloured woodcut *Little Variety Act with Singer* circa 1909. The image captures a lively music hall scene, rendered with bold outlines and vivid blocks of pink, green and yellow that contrast sharply with a dark background. The work exemplifies Kirchner’s early engagement with the graphic arts before his later difficulties under the Nazi regime.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a female dancer onstage, arms lifted as if holding a fan or feathered accessory, while a saxophonist in a striped shirt and top hat provides accompaniment and a second figure leans over a bass fiddle. The arrangement conveys the energetic atmosphere of a variety performance, reflecting the urban nightlife that fascinated many German expressionists.

Technique & Style

Kirchner employed the traditional woodcut process, carving the image into wooden blocks, inking the relief surfaces and pressing them onto paper. After printing, he applied hand‑coloured pigments, creating the flat, graphic quality and striking colour contrasts characteristic of early 20th‑century expressionist prints.

History & Provenance

As a founding member of Die Brücke, Kirchner helped shape the expressionist movement. *Little Variety Act with Singer* was created during the group’s formative years. Decades later, the artist’s work was condemned as “degenerate” by the Nazi regime, leading to the confiscation and destruction of many pieces, though this particular print survived.