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Artwork

Woman with a Veil

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner , 1915

Woman with a Veil, by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, ink, 1915
Woman with a Veil, by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, ink, 1915

Woman with a Veil is an ink print by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. It dates from 1915 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s 1915 woodcut titled *Woman with a Veil* presents a solitary figure rendered in stark black on blotting paper. The composition centers on a veiled woman whose face is partially concealed, exposing only her eyes and mouth. The surrounding space is densely filled with dark, angular shapes that press close to the figure, creating a sense of tension and immediacy.

Subject & Meaning

The work depicts a woman shrouded in a veil that obscures most of her features, leaving a narrow window onto her expression through the eyes and mouth. This partial concealment invites contemplation of identity and emotional distance, while the aggressive, jagged lines surrounding her suggest an inner turmoil that aligns with the expressive concerns of early twentieth‑century German art.

Technique & Style

Kirchner employed the traditional woodcut process, carving the design into a wooden block and transferring the ink onto blotting paper. The print’s high contrast and crisp, intersecting lines generate a rough, almost fragmented surface. Such bold, simplified forms and the emphasis on stark chiaroscuro are hallmarks of Kirchner’s expressionist approach during this period.

History & Provenance

As a founding member of the avant‑garde collective Die Brücke, Kirchner produced *Woman with Veil* amid the group’s formative years, when they sought to break from academic conventions. The piece exemplifies his contribution to the development of German Expressionism and remains documented as part of his printmaking output from the mid‑1910s.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

Artist

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (6 May 1880 – 15 June 1938) was a German expressionist painter and printmaker.

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This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.In the collection of National Gallery of Art. Compiled & edited by , Editor & Founder.