About Erich Heckel

Erich Heckel

Damenringkampf

1910
Coloured lithograph on thinnish card (postcard)
3 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches (9 x 14 cm)

The greeting text reads: 'L.E. [Liebe Emy] Besten Dank für die / Gastfreundschaft für meine /
Bilder. Ich habe nach Bremen
[geschrieben?]. Herzl. Gruss D. Erich /
Viele Grüsse Ernst Kirchner'
This lively and colourful drawing is exemplary of the 'Brücke' Expressionism of the Dresden years and shows an original motif with which Heckel immerses himself in Berlin nightlife. A so-called "ladies' wrestling match" could often be seen in vaudeville theatres in the 1910s. The pleasure-seeking audience was also treated to the bizarre, including a wrestling match between two female stage performers. Heckel's portrayal is primarily concerned with detached forms and fresh, space-creating colours, and with conveying the feeling of the crackling atmosphere and dynamics of this event. Blue, yellow and red hues and sweeping lines are used to create a visual experience with a form reduced to the essential.