Ernst ludwig kirchner street dresden

The artist produced a series of city scenes of Berlin from 1913-1916 but this portrait of a Dresden street arrived later, coming in 1919.

It is one of many Kirchner paintings to be found at the MoMA.

Dresden, a city in the South East of Germany, hosted Kirchner for an extended period after his time in Berlin and it was then that he produced this painting.

The artist commented in written correspondence with some of his friends that he found this city to be an intriguing place with no shortage of unusual characters who were perfectly suited to his portrayals of city life. He found the place busy and felt forced to allow Dresden to swathe all over him, taking Kirchner in whatever direction it chose.

This was unique to him, but also ideal for inspiring new paths of work, one example of which we find here.

There is a ghost-like expression in many of the faces in this painting