The paintings of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner are among the most important works of Expressionism. However, his sketchbooks are hardly known until now. They were Kirchner's constant companions throughout his life. Mostly they are small-format oilcloth booklets, which he filled page after page with pencil, crayon, chalk, ink, watercolour or charcoal screeds. For Kirchner, who did not spend a day without a sketchbook, daily drawing took on a high status in his artistic process. Whether for the documentation of what has been seen, as an experimental space for studies or for biographical recollection, the sketchbooks form their own unique genre in his oeuvre.