Tired (Müde) 1913

This is "Tired", a stark woodcut made by Erich Heckel. The print is dominated by heavy, jagged lines and stark contrasts in black and white, immediately conveying a sense of rawness and emotional intensity. We see a figure slumped, perhaps in repose, yet the angular shapes deny any sense of comfort. Instead, the artist uses contrasting light to emphasise the planes of the figure’s face and body. The overall composition is tightly cropped, which intensifies the feeling of confinement. Heckel, as part of the Die Brücke movement, aimed to express inner emotions directly, and the woodcut medium with its unforgiving lines served this purpose well. The lack of detail focuses attention on the psychological state of the subject. The sharp contours and reductive style aren't just aesthetic choices, they challenge conventional artistic values. Heckel's "Tired" refuses to offer easy answers or beauty, instead, it presents a study of human fatigue. Ultimately, it speaks to the Expressionist desire to confront uncomfortable truths.