The artwork titled “Head of a Sick Man,” created by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner in 1917, belongs to the Expressionism art movement and is categorized as a self-portrait.
In describing the artwork, one is immediately struck by the intense and raw emotional expression it conveys. The piece is characterized by bold, distorted features rendered through vigorous brushstrokes, typical of the Expressionist style. The facial expression reflects a profound sense of anguish and vulnerability, heightened by the use of dark, somber tones. The background, filled with uneven lines and tumultuous swirls, complements the overall sense of turbulence and emotional unrest. Kirchner’s use of asymmetry in the facial features serves to accentuate the sense of illness and internal conflict. This self-portrait not only captures the physical manifestation of sickness but also delves deeply into the psychological state of the artist during a period of personal turmoil.
