Head of van de Velde, Bright (Kopf van de Velde, Hell)

1917

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

Associated Names
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

Artist, German, 1880 - 1938

The image shows a close-up of a man's face depicted in a bold, graphic style. The man's face is the primary focus, with only his head and neck visible. His head is large in proportion to any background elements and is depicted with strong, exaggerated lines and a stony texture that emphasizes facial features. The hair is styled in a neat, combed look, although the distinct lines give it an abstract quality. He has a long, rectangular face and deep-set, weary eyes that look forward. The man's clothing is not clearly detailed, except for a suggestion of a collar or neckline. The background consists of angular shapes that resemble buildings and mountains. The entire composition is monochromatic, using only varying shades of black and white.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    woodcut

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.5183

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Dube 1967, Vol. (W), no. 311


Artwork history & notes

Exhibition History

1983

  • Graphic Survey Show, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., July 1983.

1992

  • Dürer to Diebenkorn: Recent Acquisitions of Art of Paper, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1992, no. 162.

Bibliography

1967

  • Dube, Annemarie and Wolf-Dieter Dube. E.L. Kirchner; das graphische Werke. Munich: Prestel-Verlag, 1967.

2003

  • Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, 1880-1938. Exh. cat. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2003: 41, no. 162.

Wikidata ID

Q65019865

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