Self-portrait 1915

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this self-portrait with ink, and you can see the hand in it. It’s the kind of drawing that reminds you that art is about mark making, not just a perfect copy of reality. The texture comes from the hatching, all those tiny lines crisscrossing to build up the image. Look at the way he defines his cheek and jaw with these sharp, angular strokes, it’s not just about light and shadow, but about building a sense of tension. See how the lines around his eyes are a little frantic, a little raw? The whole drawing feels like a quick, nervous sketch, like he's trying to capture something fleeting about himself. Kirchner was part of Die Brücke, a group of expressionist artists, and you see that here. I'm thinking of other expressionists like Kokoschka, who went even further with the psychological intensity. It’s all about how we see, but even more about how we feel.