Passion II (Leidenschaft II)

Lehmbruck employed drypoint, incising the image directly onto a metal plate. This method produces a characteristic burr that yields rich, velvety blacks and a textured surface. The print’s limited tonal range—from deep shadows on the torso to lighter washes on the limbs—creates a sense of depth while maintaining a stark, expressive simplicity.

The piece belongs to a period when Lehmbruck was absorbing both realist and expressionist tendencies, integrating them into his exploration of psychological depth. Produced just before the outbreak of World War I, the work reflects the artist’s pre‑war engagement with the human figure as a conduit for inner experience.