Straßenszene mit Hündchen – Die Vorübergehenden 1914

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner created this drypoint etching, "Street Scene with a Little Dog—The Passersby," capturing a fleeting moment in a bustling urban environment. Here, the repetitive motif of figures in hats is striking; they appear almost like a procession of shadows, detached from genuine interaction. Hats, historically symbols of status and identity, now seem to obscure individuality, reducing figures to types. Consider the "danse macabre," where death is depicted leading figures from all walks of life. Like those images, Kirchner's figures also seem suspended, caught in the currents of modern alienation. This sense of unease is intensified by the sharp, angular lines, mirroring the psychic fragmentation of modern life. Kirchner taps into a deep-seated fear of anonymity, a powerful psychological force that resonates even today. The figures press forward relentlessly, echoing the ceaseless march of time.