Art: Die Brücke and Expressionism

Question 1

What is Die Brücke categorized within, and what did they focus on?

Answer 1

German Expressionism, and human figures, particularly the body in movement

Question 2

What do Expressionist artists do?

Answer 2

They try to make the inner workings of the mind visible in their art.

Question 3

What group was Die Brücke parallel to?

Answer 3

the Fauves

Question 4

What did the Fauves and Die Brücke have in common?

Answer 4

Their use of color for expressive means

Question 5

How were Kirchner and Matisse linked?

Answer 5

Critics thought that Kirchner was influenced by Matisse’s arbitrary use of color, but Kirchner denied this.

Question 6

Who were the Die Brücke artists inspired by?

Answer 6

The writings of Friedrich Nietzsche, especially Thus Spoke Zarathustra, in which the bridge appears as an important motif.

Question 7

What did the bridge represent for Nietzsche?

Answer 7

a metaphor for contradictory states of human civilization, balanced between past and future, natural state and civilization

Question 8

What set Kirchner’s work apart from his fellow Expressionist, Wassily Kandinsky?

Answer 8

the harshness and pessimism of his work