Portrait of the Conductor and Composer Otto Klemperer 

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this woodcut portrait of the conductor and composer Otto Klemperer sometime around the 1910s. Kirchner was a leading figure in the German Expressionist movement, and this print exemplifies the group's interest in conveying raw emotion through simplified forms and bold contrasts. The print presents a stark, almost skeletal depiction of Klemperer. Made in Germany, the angular lines and intense emotionality in the print reflect the anxieties of a society grappling with rapid industrialization and social change. The Expressionists often critiqued the dehumanizing effects of modernity. The stark contrast may reflect the increasing polarization of German society before the First World War. To fully understand the image, we might research the cultural milieu of pre-war Germany, exploring the writings of contemporary intellectuals and the manifestos of Expressionist artists. Only by understanding the social conditions that shape artistic production, we can better appreciate its power to challenge existing social norms.