From the Apocalypse 1936

This is 'From the Apocalypse' by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, and while the date of its making isn't known, we can see that it's been etched with some kind of fine needle or blade onto a metal plate. The entire image is made up of these thin, wiry lines, a really energetic and kind of frantic network. Look at the way the figures are formed. They're not solid, but almost like outlines, caught in a moment of extreme emotion. The apocalypse, right? It's not just about destruction, but about the intensity of feeling that goes with it. Check out the top of the image. Those cloud-like forms are so urgent and expressive! The way Kirchner uses lines to create movement and texture makes me think of someone like Edvard Munch. There's a similar raw honesty and emotional charge. Kirchner isn’t trying to give us answers, he’s showing us a way of seeing, a way of feeling, and that’s what makes it so powerful.