Mountain Landscape with Little Mowers 1919

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner created this stark drypoint etching, Mountain Landscape with Little Mowers, in Germany around the time of the First World War. The Expressionist style, with its agitated lines and stark contrasts, serves to convey the psychological state of the artist, but we can also consider what it tells us about the state of society. Expressionism was a progressive movement in its time, seeking to depict the world as it was experienced, not as hidebound academic institutions dictated it should be. Looking at the cultural and political history of early 20th century Germany, we see a society undergoing rapid industrialization and urbanization, but one still clinging to traditional hierarchies and values. As art historians, we might ask, how did the war influence this artist? What was the role of art institutions like museums and galleries in shaping Kirchner's career and the reception of his work? By exploring these questions through archival research, we can gain a deeper understanding of the image before us, and of art's power to reflect and challenge the social norms of its time.