+ Expand

Dimensions: measurements 340 by 388 mm 13 3/8 by 15 1/4 in alternate measurements sheet 380 by 422 mm 15 by 16 5/8 in

+ Expand

Notes: PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE COLLECTOR
Cake-Walk , named for a traditional African-American form of dance originating in the Southern United States, is an exceptionally rare lithograph executed during Kirchner?s Dresden period at the height of his mature Brücke style. This rhythmic composition, one of his finest representations of contemporary life, is reflective of the German Expressionists' fervent commitment to stimulating and energetic imagery characterized by chromatic intensity, textured surfaces and simplified, sinuous forms. Solid areas of bold and contrasting colors are used for emotional impact, infusing the lithograph with a similar temperament to works of Van Gogh and Gauguin. A sense of dynamism and immediacy is conveyed, revealing a depth not achieved in Kirchner?s earlier, more decorative woodcuts. Compositionally, Cake-Walk contains provocative qualities of movement, concentrated color, and a harmonious rhythm similar to the artist?s other work of that period including the lithograph Russian Dancers (1909) and the oil painting Panama Girls (1910) (Fig. 1). Kirchner had only begun working with lithography in 1907 but he found the medium ideal for communicating creative impulses, a key goal of Die Brücke artists. Accordingly, the emphasis of Cake-Walk is placed on subjectivity, expression and colored surfaces. Influenced by the subjects and aesthetics of 19 th century drawings and woodcuts, lithography became a medium equally important to Kirchner as painting; the technical manipulations of drawing directly on the stone allowed him to release a different type of energy. The contrasting, pictorial effects achieved emphasize a dynamic vitality exemplified by the present work.