The Walking Bell 2 [The boy on his way to mass] 1924

Editor: This is Ernst Barlach's "The Walking Bell 2," also known as "The boy on his way to mass." The lithograph is small, but there's so much contained within the image, like a fable. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a poignant commentary on the intersection of faith, identity, and societal expectations. Barlach, working in a time of intense social upheaval, uses the image of a boy headed to mass to explore the tensions between individual freedom and imposed religious conformity. Editor: Conformity, how so? Curator: The boy's exaggerated, almost puppet-like posture, combined with the ominous shadow, suggests a loss of autonomy. The bells he carries, symbols of faith, also become burdens, dictating his path. How does this reading resonate with you? Editor: That gives me a lot to think about! I hadn't considered the bells as a burden, but that reframes the entire image. Curator: Exactly! Barlach invites us to question the societal forces that shape individual experience.