Cabeça de Erna
1912
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner carved this intense portrait of his muse, Erna Schilling, around 1912, capturing her with his signature jagged, energetic style. As a leader of the German Expressionist group 'Die Brücke' (The Bridge), he revived the woodcut technique because it felt raw and 'primitive' compared to polished academic art. Notice the sharp, almost violent lines slicing through her face and the stark contrast of black ink with touches of green and pink—it’s like looking at a fractured mirror of emotion rather than a realistic face.
- Technique
- Woodcut
- Material
- Paper