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Ernst Barlach (1870-1938) was an outstanding German expressionist sculptor, printmaker and writer. His artistic career was brilliant. His artistic achievements, especially those in woodcarving and bronze sculpture, have profoundly influenced later generations. In the 1930s, Barlach became famous for his anti-war and anti-Nazi sculptures. However, in 1935, he was deprived of his personal freedom. In 1937, he witnessed many of his masterpieces being destroyed under the name of "degenerate art". The following year, he was killed in Rostock.

Since 1897, Barlach has embarked on the path of an independent artist. His study experience in Paris and subsequent trip to Russia became important turning points in his artistic career. In Russia, he was deeply inspired by the strong physique and expressive faces of the peasants, which not only ignited his infinite love for sculpture art, but also prompted his artistic style to mature. He turned to creating figurative sculptures with the charm of early Gothic art, using hardwood and bronze materials to deeply express the deep themes of spirit and emotion.

Barlach's artistic exploration did not stop at sculpture. He also dabbled in graphic art and scriptwriting. His cross-media works all focused on the profound depiction of human suffering. He particularly preferred wood, from which he drew a rough and rustic texture. This choice was not only a tribute to the tradition of late Gothic sculpture, but also made him strive to imitate the primitive charm of wood carving when working with other modern materials, such as the 1925 bronze sculpture "Death", to enhance the realism and shock of the work.

Barlach's artistic style combines symbolism and realism, revealing the tragedy of existence and the futility of unremitting pursuit. He often echoes literary works through woodcuts and lithography to form a complete system of artistic expression. Before the war, as an artist who once supported Germany's militarization, Barlach quickly changed his position after experiencing the cruelty of the war firsthand, and used art to strongly oppose the war and the expansion of Nazi power. Although his works were regarded as heresy by the Nazi government, this did not weaken his position in art history. After the war, Barlach's studio in Gustrow was transformed into a museum, and the Ernst Barlach House in Hamburg became a hall for displaying his sculptures, paintings and prints.

Ernst Barlach rose to prominence in the 1920s and early 1930s, leaving behind a series of masterpieces such as the war memorials in Magdeburg and Hamburg, the religious sculptures in St. Catherine's Church in Lübeck, and the outstanding sculptures in the National Gallery in Berlin. Today, he is still revered as a key figure in the field of classical modernist sculpture and an indispensable symbol of German Expressionist art.

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