Who painted Young Girl with Doll?

Young Girl with Doll was painted by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner in 1916.

Where can I see Young Girl with Doll?

Young Girl with Doll is held by National Gallery of Art.

Artwork

Young Girl with Doll

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner , 1916

Young Girl with Doll is an ink print by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Young Girl with Doll is a 1916 lithograph by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, a key figure in the German Expressionist movement. The print depicts a solemn girl holding a doll, rendered in bold, angular lines against a dark background.

Subject & Meaning

The subject, a young girl with a doll, is portrayed with a serious, almost melancholic expression. The doll, a smaller mirror image, lacks facial detail, potentially symbolizing the girl's emotional state or the artist's emphasis on inner experience over external detail.

Technique & Style

Kirchner employed a characteristic Expressionist style, marked by sharp, uneven lines and a scratchy texture, evoking a sense of urgency. The lithographic process, involving drawing on a stone plate, suited his expressive, almost sketch-like approach.

History & Provenance

Created in 1916, the work reflects Kirchner's stylistic peak during his involvement with *Die Brücke*. His later career was impacted by Nazi condemnation of his art as 'degenerate', leading to persecution.

Context

Young Girl with Doll was produced amidst the tumult of World War I and the flourishing of Expressionism in early 20th-century Germany, a movement Kirchner helped establish through his innovative and emotionally charged works.

Legacy

This print contributes to Kirchner's legacy as a pioneering Expressionist, influencing subsequent generations of artists with its bold, emotionally intense, and technically innovative approach to printmaking.