Ernst Barlach [1870-1938]
German
Woman, ca.1920s
Plaster composition
42-1/2 inches tall
Signed at lower left.

Ernst Barlach, a predecessor to and contemporary of the German Expressionists, is difficult to classify. In part because he worked chiefly in the mediums of printmaking and sculpture, he did not achieve the widespread renown of painters such as Kandinsky or Kirchner. Nevertheless, due to his multitude of talents, Barlach was an extremely influential artist. Like many in the Expressionist movement, his was interested in creating “total artworks” that united disciplines to explore the human condition from various perspectives. He was also a writer, who produced a number of print portfolios illustrating literary works by himself and others. He was one of the artists who pioneered the woodcut revival that was to have a profound impact on his slightly younger Expressionist colleagues, as well as on Käthe Kollwitz.