Speeches on the Street II
1914
Kirchner captures the frantic, almost vibrating energy of Berlin street life in this scratchy 1914 print. As a founding member of the German Expressionist group Die Brücke, he used sharp, agitated lines to depict men in bowler hats and a stylish woman—likely a courtesan—walking a small dog. The figures look tense and angular, reflecting the artist's fascination with the anonymity and underlying anxiety of the modern city just before World War I exploded. It’s a raw, emotional snapshot that trades realistic beauty for pure psychological intensity.