Bahnhof Königstein 1915 - 1916

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this drawing, Bahnhof Königstein, using pencil on paper. Kirchner’s mark making feels immediate, like he’s trying to capture a fleeting moment. You can almost feel the speed of the train, the hustle and bustle of the station, as if he’s sketching directly from life, in real time. The drawing is all about lines. They’re scratchy, energetic, and full of movement. The lines define the forms of the buildings and landscape, but also create a sense of depth and space. Look at the way he uses hatching and cross-hatching to create shadows and volume. It’s like he’s carving into the paper, revealing the image from within. Notice how the repetition of short, vertical strokes suggests the texture of the train. It’s a simple yet effective way to convey information about the scene. Kirchner’s work reminds me of Van Gogh, in the way he used expressive lines to convey emotion. Both artists had a knack for capturing the essence of a scene, not just the surface appearance. Ultimately, art is about finding new ways of seeing and interpreting the world around us.