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This is a drawing of a human figure surrounded by abstract patterns. The figure is standing with arms slightly outstretched. The drawing is rendered in a black and white woodcut style with geometric shapes and strong contrast between light and dark areas. The figure wears a large headpiece or hat and a patterned garment. The abstract designs suggest movement and possibly architectural elements, with angular lines and diamond shapes. The drawing is accompanied by text in German.

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Simson (headpiece, page 41) from Georg Heym: Umbra Vitae (Georg Heym: The Shadow of Life)

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (German, 1880 - 1938)

and author Georg Heym (German, born Poland, 1887 - 1912)

printer Spamersche Buchdruckerei, Leipzig

publisher Kurt Wolff (German, 1887 - 1963)

1924

Medium: woodcut from a bound volume with 50 woodcuts (including cover and front and back endpapers) on wove paper
Classification: Volume
Dimensions: book: 23.8 × 16.5 × 1.2 cm (9 3/8 × 6 1/2 × 1/2 in.)
Culture: German
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: Little Ones profiles and older: it shows gentle subjects for the very young. How works are placed

View at the National Gallery of Art

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