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The image shows a composition of dynamic, swirling lines and shapes, creating an abstract scene on the paper. Amidst the chaotic arrangement, certain lines form angles that could resemble rooftops, while others curl and swoop like branches. Subtle, vertical lines hint at figures or totems, and a few strokes suggest forms of an animal. The interplay of thick and thin lines throughout the piece produces layers, adding depth to the abstract impression conveyed by the artwork.
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Goatherd with Goats

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (German, 1880 - 1938)

1917

Medium
graphite and pen and black ink on white board
Classification
Drawing
Dimensions
sheet: 38.1 × 50 cm (15 × 19 11/16 in.)
Museum
National Gallery of Art, CG-W
Credit line
Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen
Rights
Public domain (NGA Open Access, CC0), as the museum states it.
Who can see it
Tweens profiles and older: its subjects are known and suit older children. How works are placed

View at the National Gallery of Art

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