Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880–1938) is considered one of the key figures in 20th-century European art. A clear modernist, he caused seismic shifts in the art world with his bold, vividly colored paintings and disseminated his ideas through the Die Brücke art movement and the MUIM Institute for modern painting, both of which he co-founded. Kirchner's work juxtaposed the past with the present through an expressionist lens, reflecting the latest avant-garde ideas in art while exploring traditional academic approaches and themes. His works addressed social, moral, and emotional questions with fierce intensity. Distorted perspectives, harsh lines, and unusual colors were main features of his practice, as well as a recurring interest in capturing the human form, whether in frenetic urban scenes like "Berlin Street Scene" (1913) or in his famous studio. This introductory book explores Kirchner's journey through Germany and Switzerland, including the founding of Die Brücke and his inclusion in the notorious Nazi "degenerate art" exhibition in 1937. Along the way, we encounter vivid landscapes, stark nudes, intense urban settings, and, above all, a persistent emphasis on the emotional experience of the painter and the viewer.