Whitney Johnson

Aesthetic Qualities Analysis

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. Sertigtal, 1922 at Kunsthaus Zrich

Unity: Kirchner achieved unity through his use of line and color. Dark blue and red/orange lines
were repeated from the background to the middle ground and the foreground, all making
themselves present in the environment and the figures
Movement: Shape and line help to keep the viewers eye moving up and down the artwork.
Triangular arrows constantly point upwards in the legs of the horses, the roofs of the buildings,
the tops of the trees, and the mountains. Vertical lines in the street, the road, and tree trunks do
the same.
Rhythm: Shape, color, and variety giver the image rhythm. Each repeated triangles is related to
the next, and each repeated color and line is repeated to the next. Slightly varied forms of each of
these elements also add to the images overall unity.
Contrast: Strong contrast between dark and light values exists from the placement of the dark
colors (dark blue/dark green) to lighter colors (white, pink, and light green). The contrast in color
intensity (like chromatic orange on top of toned pink and green) also has to do with its
placement.