The artwork titled “Dancer and Audience,” created by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner between 1916 and 1917, is a watercolor piece belonging to the Expressionism art movement. The genre painting, held in a private collection, measures 21 by 15.88 centimeters.
The artwork depicts a dynamic scene characterized by bold and expressive lines, typical of Kirchner’s expressive style. To the left, a dancer is presented in mid-motion, accentuated by the vibrant and fluid watercolor application, suggesting movement and vitality. The figure appears adorned with an elaborate headpiece, rendered in shades of blue and green, which contrasts with the reddish hues used to depict the background. The audience, represented to the right, is rendered with minimal detail, allowing the focus to remain on the animated dancer. The entire composition is filled with an energetic and almost frenetic quality, embodying the emotional intensity and subjective interpretation characteristic of the Expressionism movement.
