Ernst Barlach stands as a towering figure in German art of the early 20th century. A profoundly versatile artist, he excelled as a sculptor, printmaker, and playwright, leaving behind a body of work characterized by its deep empathy for the human condition, its powerful emotional resonance, and its often critical engagement with the tumultuous times in which he lived. Born in Wedel, near Hamburg, Germany, on January 2, 1870, and passing away in Rostock on October 24, 1938, Barlach's life and art were inextricably linked to the rise of Expressionism, the trauma of World War I, and the oppressive shadow of the Nazi regime. His legacy is that of an artist who sought the spiritual in the everyday, finding profound meaning in the struggles and resilience of ordinary people.
Though primarily associated with Expressionism, Barlach forged a unique path. His work, particularly his sculpture, often drew inspiration from medieval German woodcarving and folk traditions, imbuing his figures with a solidity and earthiness that set them apart from some of his more abstract contemporaries. He navigated the complex currents of modern art while remaining deeply rooted in a humanist tradition, consistently exploring themes of suffering, poverty, piety, war, and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world. His contributions across multiple artistic disciplines make him a singularly important figure in understanding the cultural landscape of Germany before the Second World War.
Early Life and Artistic Beginnings
Ernst Barlach's formative years were spent in Ratzeburg, a town near Lübeck, where his family moved shortly after his birth. His father was a physician, and the young Barlach received a solid education. His artistic inclinations became apparent early on, leading him to pursue formal training. From 1888 to 1891, he studied at the School of Applied Arts (Gewerbeschule) in Hamburg. This initial training provided him with a foundation in drawing and modeling.
Seeking more advanced instruction, Barlach moved to Dresden, where he enrolled at the Royal Art School (Königliche Kunstakademie) from 1891 to 1895. Here, he studied under the sculptor Robert Diez, a respected academic figure. This period exposed him to the prevailing academic traditions, but Barlach was already searching for a more personal mode of expression. His quest continued in Paris, the epicenter of the art world at the time. He spent time there in 1895 and 1896, studying at the Académie Julian. While Paris exposed him to Impressionism and the burgeoning Post-Impressionist movements, particularly the work of artists like Auguste Rodin, Barlach did not fully embrace the French avant-garde styles.
Returning to Germany, Barlach initially worked in Hamburg and Altona. His early works from the late 1890s and early 1900s show the influence of Art Nouveau, known as Jugendstil in Germany. He created decorative sculptures, ceramics, and contributed illustrations to the influential Jugendstil magazine Jugend. Works from this period, such as the ceramic pieces Gottvater (God the Father) and the Schlafendes Bauernpaar (Sleeping Peasant Couple), exhibit a certain decorative quality and a connection to applied arts, though hints of his later focus on weighty, expressive forms can sometimes be discerned. This phase, however, proved transitional as Barlach sought deeper artistic substance.
A Pivotal Journey: Russia's Influence
A turning point in Ernst Barlach's artistic development came in 1906 with a two-month journey to Russia, specifically visiting his brother Hans who was working near Kharkov (now Kharkiv, Ukraine). This trip had a profound and lasting impact on his artistic vision. Barlach was deeply moved by the vastness of the Russian landscape and, more significantly, by the character and resilience of the Russian peasantry. He observed their lives, marked by hardship and poverty, yet imbued with a deep-seated piety and stoicism.
In the figures of Russian beggars and farmers, Barlach found subjects that resonated with his growing interest in fundamental human experiences and emotions. He saw in them an essential humanity stripped bare of superficialities. This encounter solidified his departure from the decorative tendencies of Jugendstil and propelled him towards a more expressive, monumental style. He began to focus on capturing the inner life and spiritual weight of his subjects through simplified, powerful forms.
The Russian experience provided Barlach with a thematic core that would run through much of his subsequent work: the dignity of the common person, the burden of existence, and the quiet strength found in suffering. His sketchbooks from this period are filled with drawings of Russian figures, which later served as inspiration for numerous sculptures and prints. The trip confirmed his inclination towards depicting not the elite or the heroic in a conventional sense, but the anonymous, often marginalized individuals whose lives embodied universal human struggles. This focus on the "folk" element, combined with a modern expressive sensibility, became a hallmark of his mature style.
Forging an Expressionist Identity: Sculpture
Following his return from Russia, Barlach's sculptural style crystallized. He became one of the leading figures of German Expressionist sculpture, though his work maintained a distinct character. He primarily worked in wood and bronze, favoring materials that lent themselves to bold forms and textured surfaces. Wood, in particular, connected him to the tradition of German medieval carving, which he greatly admired. His technique often involved carving directly, respecting the nature of the material while shaping it to convey intense emotion.
Barlach's sculptures are characterized by their compact, often block-like forms and simplified anatomy. He eschewed detailed realism in favor of capturing the essential gesture, posture, and inner state of his figures. Drapery is often heavy and voluminous, enclosing the figures and contributing to their sense of weight and groundedness. Faces are expressive, but often generalized, representing archetypes rather than specific individuals – the mourner, the seeker, the sufferer, the visionary.
Works like Die Sitzende (The Seated Woman, 1908) exemplify this emerging style. The figure is self-contained, her form reduced to essential planes, conveying a sense of introspection and quiet endurance. Der Kräuterpflüger (The Herb Plucker), another early masterpiece, depicts a figure bent low to the earth, embodying toil and a connection to the primal forces of nature. These sculptures demonstrate Barlach's ability to infuse simple forms with profound psychological and spiritual depth. His approach was less about radical abstraction and more about intensifying reality to reveal underlying truths about the human condition.
Mastering the Line: Printmaking and Illustration
Alongside his sculpture, Ernst Barlach was a prolific and highly accomplished printmaker, primarily working in woodcut and lithography. His graphic work is not merely supplementary to his sculpture but forms an integral part of his artistic output, often exploring similar themes with a different kind of intensity. The stark contrasts and expressive potential of woodcut, in particular, suited his artistic temperament and echoed the directness of his carving.
Barlach created numerous individual prints as well as series and illustrations for literary works, including his own plays. One notable early project was his series of woodcuts illustrating Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Walpurgisnacht scene from Faust, created around 1922-23. These prints demonstrate his ability to translate complex literary themes into powerful visual imagery, capturing the demonic energy and grotesque fantasy of the scene with bold lines and dramatic compositions.
His prints often feature the same archetypal figures found in his sculptures: peasants, beggars, mothers, prophets, and figures grappling with spiritual or existential crises. The graphic medium allowed him to explore narrative and dynamic movement in ways that differed from his often static, self-contained sculptures. Lithography offered opportunities for softer tonal variations, while woodcut emphasized stark black-and-white contrasts and vigorous, angular lines. Through his prints, Barlach reached a wider audience and further solidified his reputation as a major voice in German Expressionism.
The Crucible of War: From Patriotism to Pacifism
The outbreak of World War I in 1914 initially elicited a patriotic response from Barlach, as it did from many German artists and intellectuals. He volunteered for service, though he was relatively old, and briefly served as an infantryman in 1915-16 before being discharged due to health issues. However, his direct and indirect experiences of the war's devastating reality profoundly altered his perspective. Witnessing the suffering and dehumanization wrought by the conflict transformed him from a supporter into a staunch opponent of war.
This shift is clearly reflected in his post-war work. Barlach became one of the most significant artistic voices of pacifism in the Weimar Republic. He created powerful sculptures and prints that condemned violence and mourned its victims. Unlike some artists who depicted the graphic horrors of the battlefield, Barlach often focused on the psychological and spiritual toll of war – the grief of survivors, the burden of memory, the yearning for peace.
A key work reflecting this anti-war sentiment is the sculpture Der Rächer (The Avenger, 1914/1922). Conceived initially perhaps with a different meaning, it was later interpreted and titled as a representation of the blind fury and destructive force unleashed by war. The dynamic, forward-surging figure, sword raised, embodies uncontrolled aggression. Barlach's later war memorials would adopt a more somber, contemplative tone, but the intensity of The Avenger captures the violent energy he came to reject. His wartime experiences cemented his commitment to using art as a means of exploring profound human suffering and advocating for peace.
Monumental Statements: Public Works and Memorials
In the post-war years of the Weimar Republic, Barlach received several important commissions for public sculptures, particularly war memorials. These works stand among his most significant achievements and became focal points for public debate about war, memory, and national identity. They moved away from traditional heroic representations of soldiers towards more universal expressions of grief and remembrance.
Perhaps his most famous work is Der Schwebende Engel (The Hovering Angel), commissioned for the cathedral in Güstrow in 1927. This haunting bronze sculpture depicts a figure suspended horizontally, eyes closed, face bearing the features of the artist Käthe Kollwitz, whose son had died in the war. It is not an angel in the traditional sense but rather a soul hovering between heaven and earth, embodying sorrow, peace, and the transcendence of suffering. The work's profound pacifist message was controversial, and it was removed and melted down by the Nazis in 1937 as "degenerate art." Fortunately, a second cast survived, and replicas were later installed in Güstrow and Cologne.
Another major commission was the Magdeburger Ehrenmal (Magdeburg Memorial), completed in 1929 for Magdeburg Cathedral. This memorial featured a group of figures, including soldiers, a widow, a skeleton, and a frightened child, arranged around a simple cross. It powerfully conveyed the suffering and sacrifice of war without glorifying it. Like the Güstrow Angel, it provoked strong reactions and was eventually removed by the Nazis. These public works cemented Barlach's reputation but also made him a target for nationalist and militarist groups who opposed his pacifist message. Other notable bronzes like Der Leser (The Reader, 1936) continued his exploration of contemplative figures, often finding refuge in simple acts.
The Writer's Voice: Drama and Literature
Ernst Barlach's creative energies were not confined to the visual arts; he was also a significant playwright and writer. His dramatic works are closely related to his sculptures and prints, exploring similar themes of spiritual searching, social critique, human suffering, and the conflict between the material and spiritual worlds. His plays are often characterized by symbolic figures, intense dialogue, and a blend of realism and mysticism, fitting within the broader context of Expressionist drama.
Among his most important plays are Der tote Tag (The Dead Day, written 1907-08, published 1912), a dark, symbolic work dealing with the destructive relationship between a mother and son; Der arme Vetter (The Poor Cousin, 1918), exploring themes of alienation and the search for meaning; Die echten Sedemunds (The Genuine Sedemunds, 1920), a tragicomedy critiquing bourgeois hypocrisy; Die Sündflut (The Flood, 1924), a retelling of the Noah story focusing on human doubt and faith; and Der blaue Bogen (The Blue Bow, 1926).
Barlach's literary talent was recognized during his lifetime. He was awarded the prestigious Kleist Prize for literature in 1924 for Die Sündflut. In the same year, he was made an honorary member of the Academy of Fine Arts Munich. His writings provide valuable insights into his philosophical and spiritual concerns, complementing his visual art and revealing the depth of his engagement with the human condition across different media. He saw his writing and visual art as interconnected expressions of the same fundamental quest for understanding life's mysteries.
Navigating the Art World: Contemporaries and Context
Ernst Barlach occupied a unique position within the German art scene. While clearly aligned with Expressionism, his style and focus differed from the main groups like Die Brücke (The Bridge) and Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider). He shared the Expressionist emphasis on subjective experience and emotional intensity but retained a stronger connection to figurative representation and traditional materials, particularly wood, linking him to older German art traditions.
He maintained connections with various artists and intellectuals. His friendship and mutual respect with Käthe Kollwitz are well-documented; both artists shared a deep concern for social justice and the suffering caused by war, and Barlach used her features for his Güstrow Angel. He exhibited with the Berlin Secession, a progressive artists' association, and later with the Free Secession, thanks in part to the support of the influential art dealer Paul Cassirer, who recognized Barlach's talent early on and helped promote his work.
Compared to the vibrant, often agitated urban scenes of Die Brücke artists like Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Erich Heckel, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, and Max Pechstein, Barlach's work seems more introspective and rooted in rural or timeless themes. While Der Blaue Reiter artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, and August Macke moved towards greater abstraction and spiritual color theories, Barlach remained focused on the human figure as the primary vehicle for expression. He shared thematic ground with other sculptors like Wilhelm Lehmbruck, who also explored elongated, expressive figures, and Georg Kolbe, though Barlach's style was generally rougher and more overtly emotional. Artists like Max Beckmann and Otto Dix also grappled with the trauma of war and societal critique, but Barlach's approach was often more symbolic and less overtly graphic.
Under the Shadow of the Swastika: Persecution and Defiance
The rise of the Nazi Party to power in 1933 marked the beginning of a dark period for Ernst Barlach and many other modern artists in Germany. The Nazi regime condemned Expressionism and other avant-garde movements as "degenerate art" (entartete Kunst), deeming it un-German, Jewish-influenced, or culturally Bolshevik. Barlach's work, with its perceived "primitive" style, focus on suffering, and strong pacifist messages (especially in his war memorials), was particularly offensive to the Nazi ideology of strength, heroism, and racial purity.
Barlach faced increasing persecution. His works were systematically removed from museums and public spaces. The Güstrow Angel and the Magdeburg Memorial were dismantled. In 1937, numerous works by Barlach were included in the infamous "Degenerate Art" exhibition organized by the Nazis in Munich, designed to ridicule and defame modern art. Records indicate that nearly 400 of his works were confiscated from German collections. He was pressured to resign from the Prussian Academy of Arts.
Despite his known anti-Nazi sentiments, Barlach, along with other artists, signed the Aufruf der Kulturschaffenden (Call of the Cultural Workers) in 1934, an oath of loyalty to Adolf Hitler. This act remains controversial, often interpreted as a desperate attempt under duress to protect himself and his ability to work, or perhaps a moment of misjudgment about the regime's true nature. Regardless, the persecution continued. He was placed under surveillance, effectively banned from exhibiting, and found it increasingly difficult to work. The constant pressure and hostility took a severe toll on his health and spirit.
Final Years in Güstrow and Enduring Legacy
Despite the oppressive atmosphere and official condemnation, Ernst Barlach continued to work in relative seclusion in Güstrow, the small town in Mecklenburg where he had settled in 1910. He preferred the quiet life there, which allowed him to focus on his art away from the distractions of major cities. His house and studio became his refuge during the difficult Nazi years. He continued to sculpt and write, producing significant late works that maintained his characteristic style and thematic depth, though often imbued with a sense of melancholy and foreboding.
The relentless persecution, however, weakened him. Ernst Barlach suffered from heart problems and died following a heart attack in a hospital in Rostock, near Güstrow, on October 24, 1938, at the age of 68. He did not live to see the full horrors of World War II or the eventual downfall of the regime that had tormented him.
After the war, Barlach's reputation was quickly rehabilitated in both East and West Germany. He came to be recognized as one of the most important German artists of the 20th century, a courageous voice against war and oppression, and a profound interpreter of the human spirit. His works were returned to museums, and his memorials were recast and reinstalled. Today, his legacy is preserved in several dedicated institutions, including the Ernst Barlach Haus in Hamburg, the Ernst Barlach Foundation with museums at his studio and exhibition house in Güstrow, and the Ernst Barlach Museum in Ratzeburg. His sculptures, prints, and writings continue to resonate with audiences for their formal power and deep human empathy.
Conclusion
Ernst Barlach's artistic journey took him from the decorative elegance of Jugendstil to the profound depths of Expressionism. As a sculptor, printmaker, and writer, he consistently explored the fundamental questions of human existence – suffering, faith, doubt, community, and the search for meaning in a troubled world. His unique style, blending modern expressive force with influences from Gothic and folk art, created figures of enduring power and emotional weight.
His experiences, particularly his transformative trip to Russia and his disillusionment with World War I, shaped his commitment to depicting the lives of ordinary people and advocating for peace. This stance brought him into direct conflict with the Nazi regime, leading to persecution and the denigration of his art as "degenerate." Yet, Barlach's work survived, and his legacy endures as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of art to confront difficult truths. He remains a crucial figure not only in German Expressionism but in the broader history of 20th-century art, a multi-talented creator whose voice continues to speak with compelling honesty and profound humanity.
