Artwork
Two Women (Zwei Frauen)
Two Women (Zwei Frauen) is an ink print by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. It dates from 1914 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s 1914 lithograph *Two Women* presents a compact scene of two female figures rendered in stark black lines and a muted orange hue.
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s 1914 lithograph *Two Women* presents a compact scene of two female figures rendered in stark black lines and a muted orange hue. The composition is confined to a shallow space, with minimal background detail, emphasizing the interaction between the subjects. The work exemplifies Kirchner’s engagement with the expressive potential of printmaking during the early years of the German Expressionist movement.
Subject & Meaning
The image shows a nude woman turned slightly away, her arm resting on the shoulder of a clothed companion whose gaze is lowered. The clothed figure cradles a rounded object—interpreted as a basket or hat—against her chest. The intimate proximity and contrasting states of dress suggest themes of vulnerability, companionship, and perhaps the tension between public and private personas within modern urban life.
Technique & Style
Kirchner employed a lithographic process using two inks: black for outlines, shadows, and structural elements, and a pale orange to suggest skin and fabric. The lines are deliberately uneven and vigorous, creating a sketch‑like texture that heightens emotional intensity. This limited palette and bold drawing align with the Expressionist emphasis on subjective feeling over realistic representation.
History & Provenance
Created in 1914, the print emerged during Kirchner’s active involvement with Die Brücke, the avant‑garde group he co‑founded in 1905. It reflects the period’s experimental print practices that sought to disseminate expressive imagery beyond the canvas. While specific ownership records are sparse, the work has been catalogued among Kirchner’s lithographic output and appears in major collections of early 20th‑century German art.
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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)
