Barlach, Ernst Heinrich (1870-1938), was a German sculptor. He belonged to the Expressionist movement in art that emerged in Germany during the years before World War I (1914-1918). See Expressionism .
Like many sculptors of the early 1900’s, Barlach turned to past styles of art as a way to create more visually powerful images. He was particularly inspired by Russian folk carvings and wooden German sculpture from the Middle Ages. He carved most of his sculpture from wood, retaining the material’s blocklike shapes and rough surfaces. Barlach’s figures tend to display much emotion and are caught in a dramatic movement. His works are symbolic and tell a story.
Barlach was born on June 2, 1870, in Wedel, near Hamburg. He was also well known as a printmaker and wrote plays and novels. He died on Oct. 24, 1938.
