The Assault Possibly 1915

Curator: Ernst Barlach's raw graphite drawing, titled "The Assault," likely dating to around 1915, really hits you, doesn’t it? Editor: Yes, immediately! It's like a shard of something broken. The chaotic lines make me think of mud, or trenches. There's a frenzied energy, but it feels hopeless, too. Curator: Barlach’s Expressionist style always conveys so much emotion. The subject is very explicit: we are face to face with two soldiers mid-charge, bayonets ready. But observe the direction in the image. Do you perceive a linear depiction or some alternative point of view? Editor: Right, well, everything is geared toward conveying the sheer horror, of course. Notice how the scratchy, agitated marks become the driving force. He uses those quick marks to construct the illusion of forms, but they also stand apart to give you that real and raw sensation. Like the feeling of being in that awful, traumatic circumstance and moment. Curator: There's a claustrophobic, almost stage-like quality to it, with the "curtain" of frantic strokes framing them. Their faces are contorted masks. But this drawing makes me think about how war gets depicted, who does the depicting, and for what purpose. Editor: The way he lays down those strokes speaks of urgency but also constraint. A cheap pencil, perhaps? Was this quickly sketched at the front, or from recollection? How was such material distributed? Curator: I think he really captures how industrialized slaughter robs people of their humanity, doesn’t it? These men are not heroic, or triumphant. Instead, the terror seems to permeate them, doesn’t it? You are spot on when discussing material, he used economical gestures to maximize emotional impact through basic means. The emotional intensity is just so impressive. Editor: Absolutely. There's a lesson here for contemporary artists even. See what he did with a basic tool. Imagine today's options - projections, multimedia - that raw material experience just gets further displaced! Curator: It’s a somber reminder. Editor: Definitely food for thought. Thanks for sharing.