Head of Prof. Dr. Graef

Kirchner carved the image directly into a woodblock, removing areas that would remain white, then inked the raised surfaces for printing. Bold, uneven lines and rough textures result from the tool’s interaction with the wood grain. The background is left flat and unmodulated, heightening the contrast with the dark, sculpted face. This method prioritizes immediacy and force over refinement, aligning with Expressionist ideals of emotional authenticity.

Produced during Kirchner’s time in Switzerland, where he sought refuge from the pressures of war and urban life, this print belongs to a series of portraits made between 1914 and 1917. While specific ownership history before institutional acquisition is not widely documented, the work is recognized as part of Kirchner’s mature print output. It entered public collections in the mid-20th century as interest in Expressionist prints grew.

In 1915, Europe was engulfed in war, and Kirchner’s work increasingly turned inward, focusing on psychological states rather than social scenes. His woodcuts from this period reflect a broader shift in Expressionism toward introspection and formal economy. The rejection of academic realism in favor of raw, simplified forms aligned with a wider cultural questioning of tradition and rationality during the war years.

This woodcut exemplifies how printmaking became a vehicle for modernist experimentation. Kirchner’s approach influenced later artists who valued the directness of carving and the physical imprint of the artist’s hand. The portrait’s emotional intensity and formal boldness remain significant in discussions of early 20th-century print culture, particularly in how it redefined portraiture as a site of psychological exploration.