Ernst Ludwig Kirchner was born in Aschaffenberg, Germany and studied architecture in Dresden. In 1905, seeking a new artistic direction amidst the stale academic styles of the time, he formed ‘Die Brücke’ (The Bridge) with Fritz Bleyl, Erich Heckel, and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff. Along with these three men he moved away from prevailing academic style to pursue his own subjective expression. In his artwork descriptions and analyses we can see this shift towards an emotional response that left conventions behind.
Kirchner’s boldness in expressing subjective correctness set him apart from other artists of the early 20th century. His move away from accepted conventions resonates with masterpieces like The Portable War Memorial by Ed Kienholz created in 1968. Both works share an urge for change through creating works that challenge traditional art techniques which seek to achieve a certain level of perfection or acceptance of rules and standards.
Overall Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s artwork descriptions and analysis offers insight into a radical shift towards subjective correctness that was unseen before in artwork during that period of time. By examining his works alongside others like The Portable War Memorial by Ed Kienholz, we can see how far outside of the box this artist went to create original pieces of art which sparked inspiration within other artists during his time and beyond up until today’s present day.
