Ernst Ludwig Kirchner was a German expressionist painter and printmaker. He was one of the founders of the artists group Die Brücke or 'The Bridge', which was a key group leading to the foundation of Expressionism in 20th-century art. He volunteered for army service in the First World War, but soon suffered a breakdown and was discharged. In 1933, his work was branded as degenerate by the Nazis and in 1937, over 600 of his works were sold or destroyed.
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner died by suicide on June 15, 1938. He was 58 years old when he died.
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
May 6, 1880 – June 15, 1938