Karten spielende Bauern 1920

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this print, "Karten spielende Bauern," which translates to "peasants playing cards," with lithographic ink on paper. The bold strokes and stark contrasts of the lithograph heighten the tension of the card game, a charged moment of peasant life, economy, and society. Lithography is a planographic printmaking process. The artist draws on a flat stone or metal plate with a greasy crayon, then treats the surface so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas. It's a chemical process that allows for nuanced gradations of tone. Kirchner's rough application, and the marks left by the lithographic crayon add a raw, expressive quality to the scene, evoking the harsh realities of rural life and labor. The work's graphic style reflects the artist's engagement with wider social issues of class and labor, while also challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and printmaking.