Artwork
Portrait of a Girl
Portrait of a Girl is an ink print by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. It dates from 1921 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:by later hand, lower right in graphite: A. 65780; by later hand, lower right verso in graphite: 9y55; by later hand, lower right verso in graphite: 286
About this work
Overview
Portrait of a Girl is a 1921 lithograph by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, executed in black ink on pink paper. The work belongs to the portrait genre, a common focus in Kirchner's graphic and painted oeuvre.
Subject & Meaning
The lithograph depicts a girl with long dark hair and a dark jacket or dress, her face turned to the right, seemingly engaged with something outside the frame. Abstract shapes and lines in the background may symbolize her environment or inner thoughts, conveying depth and emotion through bold lines and dark colors.
Technique & Style
Kirchner's use of black lithograph ink on pink paper creates a striking contrast. The bold, expressive lines and simplified forms are characteristic of Kirchner's Expressionist approach, emphasizing emotional intensity over representational detail.
History & Provenance
Created in 1921 by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, a founding member of Die Brücke, a group pivotal in establishing Expressionism in 20th-century art. Provenance details are not provided in the available information.
Context
Portrait of a Girl reflects Kirchner's contribution to the Expressionist movement, which sought to express inner experience and emotion through distorted forms and vibrant colors, differing from the naturalism prevalent at the time.
Legacy
As part of Kirchner's body of work, the piece contributes to the broader legacy of Die Brücke and Expressionism, influencing subsequent artistic movements with its emphasis on emotional and psychological depth in portraiture.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (6 May 1880 – 15 June 1938) was a German expressionist painter and printmaker.
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