E. L. Kirchner moved to Berlin in 1911. At that time, the still young metropolis had already become one of the most exciting cultural centers in Germany and thus also captivated the young Kirchner and his "Brücke" colleagues. In his residential studios on Durchlacher Strasse in Berlin-Wilmersdorf, and later on Körnerstrasse in Berlin-Friedenau, he worked up the impressions he of in his new hometown. He encountered a bustling life on his strolls through the streets of Berlin, a very special urban atmosphere, the hustle and bustle on the boulevards at night, their swanky prosperity, but also the downsides of big-city life, prostitution, anonymity and the overall fast pace of life. The noise and rush of the big city often overwhelmed Kirchner; in his studio, however, he was able to concentrate on what made him happy: his art. In most cases he laid focus on the human being, especially the female figure and the female nude. Our sheet shows both at once: while Kirchner depicted a coquettish lady wearing nothing but a corset and stockings on the front side, we also discover a spontaneous pencil drawing of a kneeling female nude on the back.

As was the case during the beginnings of the artist group "Brücke" in Dresden, the artist's studio also played an important role in the painter's everyday life in Berlin: it was both a place of retreat and a source of inspiration. The partly self-designed interior is part of many of Kirchner's works. In the depiction offered here, the scantily clad female figure is the central motif, Around her we find the furnishings, just swiftly hinted at, arranged as staffage, as splashes of color and an interesting variety of forms in the background. The yellow carpet, to be discovered in numerous works of this time, is shown in direct view, a second carpet and a small table provide the backdrop for the female figure seated on the bed who attracts the observer’s attention. Her hairstyle identifies her as a modern woman of the imminent Roaring Twenties, but her almost reserved lowered gaze clashes with her provocative saucy appearance. With its sweeping strokes and close-up view, the depiction not only reveals a simultaneity of intimacy, sensuality, and provocation, but also shows the great drawer E. L. Kirchner at the height of his artistic creativity. [CH]