Peter Schlemihls wundersame Geschichte: Kämpfe. Qualen der Liebe (Peter Schlemihl's Wondrous Story: Battles. The Agonies of Love)

Art Historical Context

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's *Peter Schlemihls wame Geschichte: Kämp. Qualen der Liebe (Peter Schlemihl's Wondrous Story: Battles The Agonies of Love created in 1915, draws from Adelbert von Chamisso fantastical 1814 novella about a man who sells his to the devil. As a leading figure in the German Expressionist group Die Brücke, Kirchner intense emotional turmoil through bold, distorted forms and vivid colors, reflecting the anxieties of World War I and his own struggles with mental health during this period. This color woodcut, printed from two blocks on wove paper (block: 33.2 x 21.8 cm; sheet: 40.9 x 35 cm), showcases Kirchner's innovative printmaking. Using multiple blocks allowed for layered, vibrant hues and sharp contrasts, a technique that amplified the Expressionist emphasis on raw feeling over realism. The title evokes dramatic conflict—"Battles" and "Agonies of Love"—likely depicting scenes of inner torment from the story. Housed in the National Gallery of Art (acquired via the New Century Fund and Gift of Ruth and Jacob Kainen), this print exemplifies Kirchner's mastery in translating literary fantasy into visceral visual power, bridging Romantic literature and modernist angst for a new era of art.

About the Artist

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner · 1880–1938

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner was born on May 6, 1880, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, to parents Ernst and Maria Kirchner, part of a family of Prussian descent that frequently relocated due to his father's career as a chemical technician. After early schooling in various towns, he studied architecture at the Königliche Technische Hochschule (Technical University) in Dresden from 1901 to 1905, taking courses i...