The Wife of Professor Goldstein 1916

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this print, *The Wife of Professor Goldstein*, using a woodblock. This is a relief printing technique, where the artist carves away from the block's surface, leaving a raised design that will hold the ink. The black ink dominates, sharply contrasting with the white of the paper. Notice how the marks of the wood grain are visible, adding texture. The deep cuts and jagged edges were created with chisels and gouges, a kind of aggressive mark-making that lends the portrait a raw, immediate feel. Woodcut is an old technique, and Kirchner uses it here in a raw, brutal way, which was typical of the Expressionist movement, turning to so-called 'primitive' techniques and aesthetics, like woodcut prints, in order to convey powerful emotions. The labor involved in the carving process is evident, adding to the work's intensity. Ultimately, *The Wife of Professor Goldstein* shows how traditional craft processes can be radically reinterpreted to serve new artistic visions, challenging the usual distinction between craft and fine art.