Ernst Kirchner was a dynamic force in the Die Brücke group (a group of German Expressionist artists prior to World War I) and has come to be known as one of the most talented and influential of all German Expressionists. At the age of 18, Kirchner was impressed by the graphic art of the late German Gothic artists, mainly Albrecht Dürer, whose influence remained consistent throughout Kirchner’s lifetime. However, it was the exposure to the Jugendstil movement and the dynamic art style of the Norwegian Expressionist Edvard Munch that led to the simplification of his forms and the brightening of his colors. Between 1901 and 1905, Kirchner branched out into architecture. However, his obsession with painting continued and in 1905, he founded Die
