Topic 1 - Berlin Street Scene, Kirchner, 1913

who painted it?

kirchner

when was it painted?

1913

there are harsh…

colour schemes, artificial light, and sharp corners

the figures are highly…

stylised

there is overt influence of….

‘primitive’ masks and the simplification of German woodcuts

it is meant to highlight the…

attraction and repulsion of modern city life

what acts as a symbol of urban life?

the prostitutes

the prostitutes show that everything is…

for sale, even sexuality

the men appear….

undifferentiated, in top hats and overcoats

there is attention draw to the idea of …. spaces

gendered

use of colour and sharp angles suggest the ….. of city life

corrupting air

Kirchner’s usual night time settings allow for…

dramatic use of shadow and electric theatrical lighting

Alan Bowness argues ‘Kirchner was….

fascinated by big-city existence’

this work contradicts the work of the …. group

Bruke cult of nature

the city scene contradicts the idea of a…

‘primitive paradise’

this paradise is a place where…

people can lead a more spiritual existence

the men in the scene look into…

shops - making a connection between items for sale and the prostitutes for sale

the picture plane is…

crowded and narrow

though suffocating and crowded there is a sense of…

disconnection and alienation

there is a clash of the…

primitive with the modern

the faces of the figures are…

mask-like / unreadable

the handling of paint is…

loose and there are visible brushstrokes

there is a ….. perspective that destabilises the scene, making it look as though it is collapsing inwards

plunging