Young Girl Drawing 1906

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner created this etching, Young Girl Drawing, sometime in his career, though we don’t know exactly when. I’m struck by the layering of lines and how they give the piece such energy. It looks like Kirchner was unafraid to let the process show, embracing a kind of nervous intensity. I especially love the way the lines cluster around her head, creating a wild halo effect, and her focused gaze really brings this drawing to life. The texture in this print is everything. You can almost feel the scratch of the needle on the plate and the bite of the acid. There’s something raw and honest about it. You can see how the ink sits on the surface, creating depth and shadow. That raw energy reminds me of some of the woodcuts of Munch. These feel very much like sister images, connected through a love of mark-making and experimentation. Ultimately, Kirchner’s work is a reminder that art is an ongoing experiment, an exploration of the possibilities of line, form, and feeling.