Artwork
Performer Bowing
Performer Bowing is an ink print by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. It dates from 1909 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Performer Bowing is a 1909 color lithograph by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, executed in red, black, and blue on wove paper. Characterized by bold lines and expressive colors, the print embodies the emotional intensity of early 20th-century Expressionism.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts a figure with reddish skin in a deep bow, one arm raised and the other grasping a blue, indistinct object (possibly a fan or cloth). This pose of deference contrasts with the figure’s somewhat awkward, powerful presence, conveyed through vibrant red against a turbulent blue and black background.
Technique & Style
Kirchner’s application of bold, uneven lines and expressive coloration reflects the stylistic tenets of Die Brücke, the Expressionist group he co-founded. The lithographic technique allows for the dynamic interplay of red, black, and blue, enhancing the work’s emotional charge.
History & Provenance
Created in 1909, the piece later fell under the shadow of Nazi suppression, which deemed Kirchner’s oeuvre ‘degenerate art’. Consequently, many of his works, including possibly this one, were removed from public collections during the regime.
Context
Performer Bowing sits within the broader context of early 20th-century European Expressionism, a movement emphasizing subjective emotional experience. Kirchner’s work, through its distorted forms and vivid palette, contributes to this aesthetic.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (6 May 1880 – 15 June 1938) was a German expressionist painter and printmaker.
![Dance Hall Bellevue [obverse], by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/ernst-ludwig-kirchner--dance-hall-bellevue-obverse--d1e14aac4297c69e-w320.webp)
![Nude Figure [reverse], by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/ernst-ludwig-kirchner--nude-figure-reverse--4b135f0364753e98-w320.webp)
![Two Nudes [obverse], by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/ernst-ludwig-kirchner--two-nudes-obverse--eb3914183f0bc96d-w320.webp)
![Dancing Couple in the Snow [reverse], by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/ernst-ludwig-kirchner--dancing-couple-in-the-snow-reverse--87ca007d7c05b553-w320.webp)
