Sunday in the Alps 1922

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this painting, “Sunday in the Alps” sometime in the early 20th century, most likely with oil on canvas. The first thing that grabs me is the surface, the thick, almost gloppy paint he uses. He wasn’t trying to hide the process. In fact, he embraced it, showing every brushstroke, every decision, right there on the canvas. Look at the mountains in the background. Those dark blue peaks are almost violently angular and the way he has contrasted that with the soft lilac flowers is very sophisticated. I keep coming back to that woman’s face though. The elongated features, the slightly vacant stare, there's something unsettling about it. But maybe that's the point. Kirchner wasn't trying to paint a pretty picture. He was trying to capture a feeling, a mood, an experience. It makes me think of Paula Modersohn-Becker, another German expressionist who wasn't afraid to get a little ugly. It’s all about the emotion, you know? The raw, messy, beautiful emotion.