526 - Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880, Aschaffenburg – Frauenkirch/Davos, 1938)

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880, Aschaffenburg – Frauenkirch/Davos, 1938) Crouching Girl (Fränzi) Watercolor, gouache, and chalk on brownish vellum. (c. 1910). Approx. 43.5 x 33.5 cm. • An expressive, colorful depiction from Kirchner’s significant Dresden creative period around 1910 • Fränzi was one of the central models of the “Brücke” artists’ group and embodied its new, informal view of humanity • A particularly lively composition with dynamic lines, luminous swaths of color, and powerful contrasts Around 1910, numerous portraits of the young Fränzi—one of the most important models of the “Brücke” artists’ group—were created in Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s Dresden studio. With her natural, unpretentious appearance, Lina Franziska Fehrmann embodies a new vision of humanity that deliberately breaks away from traditional academic conventions of representation. Her youthful spontaneity and natural movements offer Kirchner a wealth of opportunities to capture the human figure in its immediate vitality. In this work, Kirchner depicts the girl in a crouching posture, completely absorbed in her own thoughts. Her lowered head, bent legs, and outstretched arms define the rhythmic structure of the composition. With just a few powerful lines, the artist outlines the figure, while luminous, spontaneously applied areas of color in green, yellow, red, and dark violet structure the pictorial space. The figure and background intertwine directly, merging into a dynamic, tension-filled structure. Particularly captivating is the interplay between the dark contours and the luminous colors, some of which are applied unmixed. The work impressively illustrates Kirchner’s search for an immediate visual language free from academic conventions. The spontaneous line work, the expressive use of color, and the focus on essential forms make this drawing a characteristic example of his artistically groundbreaking Dresden years. Provenance: From the artist’s estate; on the reverse, bearing the Basel stamp (Lugt 1570b) and the handwritten registration number “A Dre/Bf 21,” as well as the notations “K 3661” and “3285”; Olbricht Collection, Germany. Taxation: subject to margin scheme (VAT: Margin Scheme).