The cycle, created by Kirchner between 1913 and 1915, often depicts "Kokotten" (prostitutes) with their clients, and is regarded as one of the most important works of German Expressionism.

In the painting foreground, two prostitutes are seen wearing very colourful clothing with elaborate lace collars and high-fashion hats.

On the street are a horse carriage and the sign of the tram line 15, a horsecar that ran through central Berlin.

It was one of the loneliest times in my life, in which I wandered through the long streets full of people and wagons through day and night in agonizing unrest.In 2006 Anita Halpin, the granddaughter of the Jewish art collector Alfred Hess, demanded the restitution of the painting, which had previously been exhibited in the Brücke Museum in Berlin.

After that the painting was sold by the auction house Christie's for 30 million Euros to the art collectors Ronald Lauder and Serge Sabarsky.

The restitution was based on the Washington Declaration from 1998 in which Germany said it would return the paintings that were confiscated during the Nazi era to the heirs of the victims.