Peter Schlemihls wundersame Geschichte (Peter Schlemihl's Wondrous Story) (Title Page)

Created from a single wood block, the work combines carved lines and color areas in one impression. Kirchner’s use of bold, uneven contours and flat expanses of red and blue reflects the graphic intensity associated with Die Brücke, emphasizing expressive distortion over realistic detail.

The print emerged during Kirchner’s mature period, shortly before his art was condemned by the Nazi regime as “degenerate.” By 1937, more than six hundred of his works had been confiscated, sold, or destroyed, underscoring the precarious fate of his oeuvre in the political climate of the era.

Produced amid the upheavals of World War I, the woodcut illustrates the broader shift in German art toward abstraction and emotional directness. Kirchner’s involvement with Die Brücke positioned him at the forefront of early 20th‑century Expressionism, where the medium of woodcut was prized for its immediacy and capacity for stark visual impact.