Dodo (Original Title) 1909

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this portrait, Dodo, using etching. I can imagine him, dragging the needle across the plate, pressing down to get those dark lines, then lifting to make the strokes thinner and lighter. This is a study in the push and pull of the medium. The contrast is everything. It feels so immediate, as if Kirchner captured the essence of Dodo in one sitting. What was she thinking as she posed for Kirchner? Was she one of his lovers? There’s something about her lips that suggests defiance and a touch of melancholy. The heavy, dark outlines around her jacket and hair create a sense of volume. The flat grey tone in the background and the paper of the etching emphasizes the figure's presence. Kirchner’s work reminds us that artists are always talking to one another. It's as though he's in a visual conversation with artists like Munch and Van Gogh, who also explored the raw and emotive power of line.