COLLECTION NAME:
Undergraduate Thesis Collection
Record
Title:
A Return to Nature: Youthfulness and the Human Instinct in Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s Art
Creator:
Cook, Alessia Estelle
Subject:
Thesis (B.F.A.) -- Art History
Subject:
Savannah College of Art and Design -- Department of Art History
Rights:
Copyright is retained by the authors or artists of items in this collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Abstract:
“Founded in 1905 by a group of Dresden architecture students, Die Brücke gained philosophical inspiration from Friedrich Nietzsche to break from academic art tradition through the embrace of raw expression. Ernst Ludwig Kirchner stands out as the group’s leading force, capturing themes of self-liberation, bohemian life, and the conflict between societal norms and natural instinct. His bold use of color, stylized figures, and geometric forms conveyed the emotional and psychological depth central to German Expressionism. This thesis examines how Kirchner’s vision shaped Die Brücke, positioning him as a key figure in the rise of early twentieth-century modernism.” –Abstract
Keywords: Die Brücke, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Friedrich Nietzsche, nature, Sigmund Freud, youth.
Keywords: Die Brücke, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Friedrich Nietzsche, nature, Sigmund Freud, youth.
Publisher:
Savannah, Georgia: Savannah College of Art and Design
Date:
2025-05
Format:
1 online resource: 1 PDF (Thesis, 43 pages, color illustrations)