Ernst Ludwig Kirchner / Young Art / Volume 24

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880–1938) is one of the most important artists of the 20th century, and many of his works have become icons of Expressionism. Wavering between self-doubt and egocentricity, the artist created an incomparably multifaceted work with a great feeling for the currents and upheavals of his time.

As the driving force and most radical force in the artists' community »Brücke«, a promising career began for Kirchner, which culminated with his expressive works of the Berlin years. His almost ecstatic urge to create went hand in hand with one of the »loneliest times of my life, during which an agonizing restlessness kept driving me out day and night.« After Kirchner had found a new home in Davos in 1917, his tense life was also marked by mentally unstable people phases and unbroken creativity. Concerned about the correct reception of his works, he invented the art critic Louis de Marsalle, under whose pseudonym Kirchner published reviews of his own works. Thorsten Sadowsky, the author of this volume, presents this dazzling and fascinating artistic personality in a knowledgeable and clear manner using exemplary works and stages in his life.