Woman in dunes on Fehmarn c. 1913

Editor: This is Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s "Woman in dunes on Fehmarn," a drawing made around 1913. The purple and blue palette makes it feel dreamy and surreal. What strikes you most about this work? Curator: Oh, Kirchner always pulls me into that pre-war angst. There's this figure, seemingly isolated in nature, almost consumed by it. See how the brushstrokes are restless, agitated? Do you get a sense of inner turmoil from that contrast between the figure and landscape? Editor: Absolutely. The figure almost blends in with the colours. Is she a reflection of the landscape itself, or maybe battling against it? Curator: I think that's beautifully put! I often wonder if she's even aware of us. She seems lost in thought, or maybe grappling with a secret. And consider Fehmarn itself - a haven for the "Brücke" artists, yet there's no joy here. Just solitude and introspection. Kirchner must have used this kind of figure many times over as stand-in for his own complicated emotions. Editor: So it's not just a picture of a woman in a landscape; it's a portrait of a state of mind. It sounds as though a nice walk by the seaside did not do much to calm his demons! Curator: Exactly. It reminds me that art often tells us more about the artist than the subject! It is beautiful and terrible at the same time. What did you get from this dialogue today? Editor: It's much darker than it first seems, more a raw confessional than a breezy day at the beach! Thanks so much!