Portrait of Hans Frisch (1907) by Ernst Ludwig KirchnerMcNay Art Museum
In the words of the artist
My goal was always to express emotion and experience with large simple forms and clear colors…
—Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner was a leader of German Expressionism in the early twentieth century.
German Expressionism is an art movement that prioritized personal experiences and emotions over creating something lifelike.
The subject Hans Frisch is shown curled up on a couch, smoking a cigarette, and contemplatively gazing downward.
Rich yellows, reds, greens, and blues are used for both Frisch’s face and the patterned sofa cushions, contrasting with the dark blues and blacks of the sitter’s suit and background.
Frisch was a German poet and close friend of the artist.
What do you think Hans Frisch might be thinking? What emotions might he be feeling?
See more works of art by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner from the McNay collection.
