img331 Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938)

The woodcut presents a portrait of an elderly man, rendered in stark black and white with a pronounced emphasis on angularity and expressive lines. The composition is vertically oriented, focusing intently on the subjects face and upper torso. A dense, textured beard dominates the lower portion of the image, its individual strands meticulously carved to create a sense of volume and tactile quality. Above the beard, the man’s chin and jawline are sharply defined, contributing to an overall impression of age and perhaps weariness.
The eyes are particularly striking; they appear deeply set within shadowed sockets, conveying a feeling of introspection or melancholy. The brow is furrowed, etched with lines that suggest worry or contemplation. The artist has employed a technique that exaggerates the features, moving beyond mere representation to convey an emotional state.
A hand partially obscures the man’s face, positioned near his temple. This gesture introduces an element of concealment and perhaps vulnerability; it could be interpreted as a protective action or a sign of inwardness. The background is largely devoid of detail, save for some faint linear markings that suggest a rough texture, further isolating the figure against a blank space.
The limited tonal range and the deliberate use of harsh lines create a sense of drama and intensity. There’s an austerity to the work; it avoids sentimentality while simultaneously evoking empathy for the subject. The overall effect is one of profound psychological depth, hinting at a life lived with experience and perhaps hardship. The absence of color reinforces this feeling of starkness and emotional weight.