Strassenbahn in Dresden 1909

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this expressive sketch of a Dresden street using pencil on paper. Notice the faceless crowds milling about; these figures are reduced to mere strokes, devoid of individuality. Compare these automatons to other depictions of crowds through history. Think of the masses in ancient Roman art or even the milling crowds of industrial London depicted by artists like Gustave Doré. There is a sense of alienation and anonymity in this sketch, a feeling that resonates deeply with the anxieties of modern urban life. It evokes a powerful emotional response, tapping into our collective subconscious fears of being lost in the crowd, of losing our identity in the face of modernity. This recurring theme is not linear, but rather spirals back through history, reappearing in various forms as humanity grapples with the challenges of communal existence.