Kopf einer Bäuerin (Fr. Schmid) (Original Title) 1919

Here's Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's ‘Head of a Peasant Woman (Fr. Schmid)’, now at the Städel Museum. Look at the expressive mark-making, all those cuts and scratches that build up the figure! I can almost feel Kirchner wrestling with the plate, pushing and pulling to bring forth this woman's face. What was it like to be Kirchner then, working with the traditions of German Expressionism and its interest in representing the depths of human experience? The stark contrasts create a really intense emotional atmosphere, right? It's like he's digging beneath the surface to reveal something raw and unsettling. Those lines across her face are particularly striking, suggesting both age and some kind of internal struggle. Of course, Kirchner was part of a whole conversation about what painting could do, how it could express modern life and inner turmoil. I like to think of artists as being in this constant dialogue, echoing and responding to each other across time. Ultimately, it’s up to us, the viewers, to bring our own experiences and interpretations to the table, to keep the conversation going.