Street, Berlin
7:00 AM |
| Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Street, Berlin, 1913 |
The German expressionist movement flourished for only a few
years before the start of World War I, but their ideals of free expression and
disestablishmentarianism lived on for decades to come in movements such as
Abstract Expressionism. The movement was dominated by two main groups, “The
Bridge” and “The Blue Rider.” Kirchner, who famously painted street scenes such
as Street, Berlin, was a member—and de
facto leader—of the earlier group, “The Bridge,” while “The Blue Rider” was
championed by such famous names as Kandinsy and Franz Marc, both of whom became
more famous in their independent work after the collapse of the expressionist
groups as a result of World War I.
Street, Berlin, above, is a prototypical work of the German Expressionist movement. The movement emphasized intellectual freedom, which is why many of their paintings seem to bear only tangential ties to reality. Colors, textures, and eventually shapes are distorted in many German Expressionist paintings. In fact, many members of the Blue Rider school, such as Kandinsky, eventually transitioned to complete abstraction. German Expressionists also focused on new aspects of urban German life in the early 20th century. This time was characterized by rapid economic growth and societal assimilation in an era of relative peace before the violence of WWI. City life was, as in many other places, a new challenge for German citizens in rapidly growing metropolises such as Berlin, Dresden, and Munich. People were constantly surrounded by crowds and yet almost always alone. Kirchner illustrates this beautifully with his color scheme. The warmth surrounding the smiling women is juxtaposed starkly against a sea of ice-cold blue. Outside of their own little bubble, the vast impersonality of the city presses in.
The Expressionist movement died with the start of World War I, taking with it the artists’ hope for a peaceful, prosperous new society. But their ideals of peace and mutual acceptance lived on and helped shape the postwar politics of the second half of the twentieth century.
Street, Berlin, above, is a prototypical work of the German Expressionist movement. The movement emphasized intellectual freedom, which is why many of their paintings seem to bear only tangential ties to reality. Colors, textures, and eventually shapes are distorted in many German Expressionist paintings. In fact, many members of the Blue Rider school, such as Kandinsky, eventually transitioned to complete abstraction. German Expressionists also focused on new aspects of urban German life in the early 20th century. This time was characterized by rapid economic growth and societal assimilation in an era of relative peace before the violence of WWI. City life was, as in many other places, a new challenge for German citizens in rapidly growing metropolises such as Berlin, Dresden, and Munich. People were constantly surrounded by crowds and yet almost always alone. Kirchner illustrates this beautifully with his color scheme. The warmth surrounding the smiling women is juxtaposed starkly against a sea of ice-cold blue. Outside of their own little bubble, the vast impersonality of the city presses in.
The Expressionist movement died with the start of World War I, taking with it the artists’ hope for a peaceful, prosperous new society. But their ideals of peace and mutual acceptance lived on and helped shape the postwar politics of the second half of the twentieth century.
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