The artwork, titled “Portrait of Otto Mueller with Pipe,” was created by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner in 1917. It belongs to the Expressionism art movement and is classified under the genre of portraiture.
In this striking portrait, the subject, Otto Mueller, is depicted with a pipe. Kirchner employs bold, exaggerative brushstrokes and a restricted color palette of earthy tones, highlighting the intense and emotional inner world typical of Expressionist works. The face and hands are rendered with strong contours and shadowing, emphasizing sharp features and a somewhat contemplative expression. The red background contrasts with the darker shades of the subject’s clothing, creating a dynamic interplay of light and dark. Kirchner’s technique effectively captures both the personality of Mueller and the characteristic intensity of the Expressionist movement, evoking a deep, psychological engagement with the viewer.