Die Irren I (The Mad I) (in-text plate) from mock-up of Georg Heym: Umbra Vitae (Georg Heym: Shadow of Life)

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a design of jagged and curved lines forming abstract figures resembling human faces and bodies. The overlapping shapes create a sense of depth and complexity, with the figures appearing to emerge from one another. The composition evokes a chaotic unity, suggesting a bustling scene or crowded space.