Self-Portrait (Melancholy of the Mountains) 1929

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this woodcut self-portrait—Melancholy of the Mountains—sometime in his life. There’s a really graphic quality to this piece, almost like a poster. The way the blue and black inks are laid down, it’s not about blending or anything subtle. It’s more like, BAM, here it is. You can practically feel the knife digging into the wood. Kirchner wasn't trying to hide the process at all. Look at the face. It's all these carved lines. The way they cut around the eye—that makes it bulge, intense. And that little figure in the background, like a shadow? It adds to the mood, a bit of loneliness, a bit of being watched. Makes you wonder what was going on in Kirchner’s head, doesn't it? It reminds me of Edvard Munch's stark emotional landscapes, both wrestling with some pretty heavy stuff. It's not just a picture; it’s a feeling.