Women at a Table in a Room 1920

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this etching, *Women at a Table in a Room*, using sharp, incisive lines to cut into the metal plate. Kirchner, like many artists, used etching to explore themes and ideas that recurred throughout his work, using lines to create a sense of anxiety and tension. I imagine him hunched over the plate, scratching away with acid, breathing in toxic fumes. What was he feeling when he made it? The lines are so jagged and raw, they make you feel a bit uncomfortable. Look at the faces of the women – they seem haunted, their eyes wide with a mixture of fear and resignation. It’s like they’re trapped in this claustrophobic space, unable to escape the weight of their own lives. Kirchner was part of the *Die Brücke* group, and he used his art to express his feelings about society and the human condition. I am always reminded that artists talk to each other across time. By experiencing this image we are drawn into a continuing conversation.