Open full image Pin

Palucca

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

1930

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Early Modern

Dominant colour

Palucca is a 1930 ink by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
When & what style?: 1930
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This print shows a dancer mid-movement, arms raised, holding a green partner who looks like a small, rounded figure. The background is mostly black with jagged lines, and the dancer’s face is simple with a brown helmet-like hat. The colors are flat—black, green, and brown—with sharp edges and no shading. The artist used a woodcut technique, where blocks of wood are carved and inked to create the print. This makes the lines look bold and the colors solid. Next, check out woodcut to see how this printing method works.