Head Study (Kopfstudie)

1923

A large exhibition in Basel

In 1923 Kirchner organised a large exhibition of his work in Basel.

1923

Moves to the Wildboden house

In 1923 Kirchner moved to the Wildboden house, which looked over Frauenkirch and the Stafelalp on one side and Davos on the other; these landscapes became subjects of many of his paintings. In his diary he called the house a joy and a turning point of his life.

1923

Illustrations for Georg Heym’s “Umbra Vitae”

At the same time Kirchner worked on illustrations for the poet Georg Heym’s book “Umbra Vitae.”

1925

Albert Müller and the Rot-Blau group

In 1925 Kirchner became close friends with the painter Albert Müller and his family; the founders of the Basel group Rot-Blau (“Red-Blue”) — Hermann Scherer, Albert Müller, Paul Camenisch and Hans Schiess — visited him and worked under his guidance.

1925–1926

Declines to found a new group

In Berlin Kirchner met Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, who wanted him to form a new artists’ group; Kirchner politely refused.

1925–1926

A trip to Germany: Frankfurt, Chemnitz, Berlin

At the end of 1925 Kirchner went to Germany, visiting Frankfurt, Chemnitz, where his mother lived, and Berlin. Back in Frauenkirch he wrote to Dr. Hagemann in March 1926 that he was glad to see the old pictures by Rembrandt and Dürer again, while of the moderns hardly anything had gripped him.