To the Moon 4: Solace 1924

Curator: Ernst Barlach's "To the Moon 4: Solace" presents us with a poignant scene rendered in charcoal. There's a striking immediacy to its roughly sketched lines. Editor: It feels heavy, burdened, despite the presence of the angel. I'm drawn to the raw texture of the charcoal, the way Barlach uses it to convey a sense of grief or perhaps resignation. Curator: The angel, traditionally a symbol of hope, here almost seems complicit in the woman's sorrow. It reflects the socio-political turmoil during Barlach’s lifetime. The figures below them, are they souls? Editor: Possibly. What strikes me is how Barlach's process mirrors that turmoil: the direct application of charcoal to paper, no refined technique, just raw expression. The emotional labour is evident. Curator: Absolutely, and the subtext here questions the role of solace itself—is it truly a comfort, or a temporary reprieve? It certainly speaks to the marginalized voices of his time. Editor: It makes you think about the means of production—how the artmaking itself serves to channel intense feelings and societal anxiety. Curator: A somber reminder of the complexities of finding peace in uncertain times. Editor: Precisely, Barlach compels us to feel the weight of both material and emotional existence.