Winter journey in the Harz Mountains 2: The Deer 1924

Editor: This is "Winter Journey in the Harz Mountains 2: The Deer" by Ernst Barlach. It's a striking black and white print, seemingly of a figure on horseback moving through a somewhat foreboding landscape. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The horse, traditionally a symbol of power and nobility, appears almost spectral here. Consider how the harsh lines and dark tones evoke not just a physical journey, but a psychological one, perhaps through hardship or even a confrontation with mortality itself. What feeling do you get from the landscape? Editor: I see a bleak, almost hostile environment. It makes me wonder if the rider is fleeing something, or searching for something. Curator: Exactly. The visual language of the Harz mountains themselves, historically a site of folklore and pagan symbolism, informs the weight of this journey. Do you notice any particular elements within the landscape that speak to you? Editor: The sharp, almost jagged lines of the trees create a sense of unease. I think it's so interesting how the artist created a sense of journey and emotion with so few elements! Curator: Indeed, Barlach masterfully utilizes symbolic imagery to imbue the work with enduring emotional and cultural resonance. A simple image that carries so much history.