Transcript of Ernst Ludwig Kircher’s letter and handwritten autobiography, 25 January 1935

Privately owned

The publisher Ludwig Goldscheider, head of the Phaidon Press in Vienna, planned a book titled “Five Hundred Self-Portraits from Antiquity to the Present” and asked Ernst Ludwig Kirchner in January 1935 for permission to reproduce one of his self-portraits, as well as for a short biography.

Davos. 27 Jan 35
Phaidon Verlag
Vienna

Dear Mr [Ludwig Goldscheider]

Thank you very much for your letter of 25th of this month. I am now fully informed and am happy to give you permission to reproduce the painting Self-Portrait from the Folkwang [G  621, 1920, 120 x 85 cm] in your book ‘The Self-Portrait’.
Enclosed are the requested biographical notes.

Yours sincerely, E L Kirchner.

Biographical note on E. L. Kirchner

Born in 1880 in Aschaffenburg. After graduating from high school, he studied painting and architecture at the art academies in Munich and Dresden. Began woodcuts in 1898.

His father taught him the technique using medieval blocks. Trained in the techniques of Dürer and Rembrandt, he received important instruction in the theory of Neo-Impressionism, especially Seurat. He himself finds a new way of studying nature by drawing movement and prepares an old painting medium, wax, in a new way for his technique.  His work attracts attention and young artists gather in Dresden in his studio to learn the new techniques. Kirchner encouraged the formation of an artists’ group for exhibition purposes, which later became known as ‘Die Brücke’ (The Bridge). This new art form was subsequently so heavily criticized, particularly in Dresden, to such an extent that Kirchner moved to Berlin in 1909 in order to be able to make a greater impact in the big city. Prior to this, in 1906, the group was strengthened by the arrival of Nolde, then a Danish painter, and Pechstein. Both adopted the new techniques. Kirchner brought Otto Müller into the group in 1910 and initiated him. Müller’s art thus gained new momentum.

In 1908, Kirchner first exhibited at the Secession on Liebermann’s recommendation. In 1912, he left Brücke. Gräf in Jena became his loyal patron. Kirchner’s work became so well known that in 1912 he was able to design the Thorn-Prikker Chapel at the Sonderbundausstellung and executed it with Heckel. At that time, he painted and etched his Berlin street scenes, in Berlin and Fehmarn from 1912 to 1914. In 1914, he was commissioned to create the painted decoration for Feinhals’ tobacco room at the Werkkunst Exhibition. In 1915, he volunteered for the war. In 1916, he fell ill and painted in Frankfurt and the Taunus. In 1917, he was in Davos. A new conception of the mountains and farmers at work brought Kirchner a new circle of students from Basel. Since 1925, a new style of design emerges, based on the evaluation of what has been achieved so far. In 1930, Kirchner is appointed a member of the Academy of Arts in Berlin. 1933 major retrospective exhibition in Bern.