Three Bathers by Stones 1913

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this striking, graphic woodcut, Three Bathers by Stones. I love how Kirchner fearlessly carves into the wood block, leaving visible marks that become part of the image. The bodies are outlined with decisive strokes, and filled with pink like raw flesh. This process-oriented approach makes you feel the artist's hand, his energy. Look at how he uses the grain of the wood to suggest texture in the figures. The colors feel raw and immediate. The sharp contrast between the pink figures and the blue backdrop creates a vibrant tension. The figures are roughly hewn, giving them a powerful presence. See how the background feels almost like a stage set? This element of theatricality, the bold simplification of form, reminds me of work by the slightly earlier Expressionist artist Edvard Munch, who, like Kirchner, used printmaking to explore feelings of emotional intensity. Ultimately, this woodcut feels like an invitation to experience the world in a more immediate, sensory way.