Ernst Barlach

Ernst Barlach (1870–1938) was a German sculptor, draughtsman, painter, and writer. He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Dresden and became known especially for his sculptures and memorials. His best-known works include the Güstrow Cathedral Angel, the Magdeburg Memorial, and the “Frieze of the Listeners.” In 1925, Barlach was made an honorary member of the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich; in 1933, he received the Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts. Under National Socialism, many of his works were removed from public collections as “degenerate,” and he was banned from exhibiting. Barlach died in Rostock in 1938.