Sculpture "Wanderer in the Wind" (1934), reduction in bronze
Sculpture "Wanderer in the Wind" (1934), reduction in bronze
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ars mundi Exclusive Edition | limited, 980 copies | numbered | signature | hallmarked | certificate | bronze | chiselled | polished | patinated | reduction | size 33 x 16 x 5 cm (h/w/d) | weight 2.6 kg
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Sculpture "Wanderer in the Wind" (1934), reduction in bronze
In 1934, Barlach created this impressive work titled "Wanderer in the Wind", which is one of his most significant, popular and best-described works. Throughout the decades of Barlach's oeuvre, the viewer is presented with the fate of human beings in characteristic, fundamental states of mind. All of his works are filled with deep thoughtfulness, compassionate humanity, reflection and contemplation.
Against the storm of the destruction of Barlach's works from 1934 onwards, the "Wanderer in the Wind" literally braces himself. The sculpture is based on a drawing made in 1927, which the artist faithfully reproduced. With his left hand, he holds onto the cap on his head, with his right hand he closes the cloak around his body. The left side view illustrates the dynamic forward movement through a drapery fold in the robe, highlighting the standing leg that provides the strength for the next step. The right side, with a pedestal and folds in the robe, is more still, more pensive as if the thoughts here were born of longing, compelling the necessity for departure.
The face of the wanderer and his expression are of particular significance. It shows a willingness to fight and determination. The sculpture becomes a monument to courage, resistance and self-confidence. The work "Wanderer in the Wind" is a desperately insistent commitment to freedom and resistance. This is what makes the work so exceptionally precious and, unfortunately, timeless in its relevance. (Dr Friedhelm Häring, former museum director and curator)
Fine bronze sculpture, cast using the Lost-Wax-Process and chiselled, polished and patinated by hand. Moulded from the original and reduced in size (reduction). Open back. Limited edition of 980 copies, individually numbered and with the signature "E. Barlach" taken from the original and the foundry mark. With numbered certificate of authenticity and limitation certificate. Size 33 x 16 x 5 cm (h/w/d). Weight 2.6 kg. ars mundi Exclusive Edition.
Producer: ars mundi Edition Max Büchner GmbH, Bödekerstraße 13, 30161 Hanover, Germany, [email protected]
About Ernst Barlach
1870-1938, sculptor, writer, and draughtsman
Ernst Barlach was born on January 2, 1870, in Wedel, Germany, and died on October 24, 1938, in Rostock, Germany. He holds an outstandingly special position within German Expressionism. As a graphic artist, draughtsman, writer, and above all, as a sculptor, Barlach created milestones in art history. Barlach's sculptural works of art have a special effect because they seek extreme experience of limits and their representation. They are works of multi-layered meaning with which he foregrounded the essence of the human being and that what stands above the self and the world.
Barlach's intention is rooted deeply, in the inner self. Shaped by war and challenging living conditions, he experiences both suffering and happiness. And always, at the centre of his work, stands the human being: Ecce homo.
"I desire nothing more than to be an artist, as best I can. I believe that what cannot be expressed through the work can pass into the possession of another through forms. My pleasure and creative impulse continually revolve around the problems of the meaning of life and the other great mountains in the spiritual realm." (Ernst Barlach)
In 1925, Ernst Barlach was made an honorary member of the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. In 1933, he was appointed Knight of the Peace Class of the Order "Pour le Mérite". In 1937, the National Socialists removed his works from public collections and spaces, branding them as "degenerate art." On October 24, 1938, Ernst Barlach died in Rostock.
Today, Ernst Barlach's works are an integral part of leading museums and collections, and - if available - fetch record prices at auction.
"The Singing Man" became Ernst Barlach's best-known sculpture, an icon of Modernism. It adorns illustrated books and posters worldwide, and the original edition is a permanent part of the collections of the world's major museums, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
An alloy of copper with other metals (especially with tin) used since ancient times. It is an ideal metal for high-quality artistic castings, capable of enduring for millennia.
When casting bronze, the artist usually applies the lost-wax technique which is dating back more than 5000 years. This is the best, but also the most complex method of producing sculptures.
First, the artist forms a model of their work. This model is embedded in a liquid silicone rubber mass. Once the material has solidified, the model is cut out, leaving a negative mould. Liquid wax is then poured into the negative mould. After cooling down, the wax cast is removed from the mould, provided with sprues and dipped into ceramic mass. The ceramic mass is hardened in a kiln, where the wax melts away (lost mould).
Finally, the negative mould is ready, into which the 1400° C hot molten bronze is poured. After the bronze had cooled down, the ceramic shell is broken apart, reavoling the sculpture.
Next, the sprues are removed, the surfaces are polished, patinated and numbered by the artist or by a specialist, following their instructions. Thus, each casting is an original work.
For lower-quality bronze castings, the sand casting method is often used, which, however, does not achieve the results of a more elaborate lost-wax technique in terms of surface characteristics and quality.
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Term for an art object (sculpture, installation) that, according to the artist’s intention, is produced in multiple copies within a limited and numbered edition.
Multiples enable the "democratization" of art by making the work accessible and affordable for a wider audience.
A not fully three-dimensional artwork carved from a stone or wooden panel.
There are different degrees of relief depending on the degree of projection. The range includes low relief/bas-relief and high relief. The sunken relief is a common form of reliefs in Ancient Egypt, in which the depicted scenes were cut into the stone or wood surface.
Among the most famous reliefs are the works of the Florentine master Lorenzo Ghiberti. Among other artworks, he created the pair of gilded bronze doors of the Baptistery in Florence, called by Michelangelo the "Gates of Paradise".
A plastic work of sculptural art made of wood, stone, ivory, bronze or other metals.
While sculptures made of wood, ivory, or stone are carved directly from the material block, in bronze casting, a working model is prepared at first. Usually, it is made of clay or other easily mouldable materials.
The prime time of sculpture after the Greek and Roman antiquity was the Renaissance. Impressionism gave a new impulse to the sculptural arts. Contemporary artists such as Jorg Immendorf, Andora, and Markus Lupertz also enriched sculptures with outstanding works.