L'après midi du peintre (Original Title) 1927

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this black and white woodcut, The Painter’s Afternoon, at some point in his career. The bold, graphic quality of the print speaks to process. It's about decisions, cuts, and the stark contrast between what's there and what's been removed. I love how the composition is all about layering and flattening space. Look at the way the artist uses these solid black lines to create this feeling of depth, particularly in the foreground with what I think might be a bench. The figures themselves are so angular and elongated. The textures and the shapes almost vibrate, full of raw energy. It reminds me a little of Munch, maybe because of the slightly tortured quality, that rawness of feeling. But Kirchner’s got his own edge, a certain… sharpness. Ultimately, it's a reminder that art is a conversation, a call and response across time and between artists. It's about the push and pull between seeing and feeling, between intention and accident.