The King in Thule 1 [His dying sweetheart gives him a goblet] 1924

Curator: Ernst Barlach's "The King in Thule 1," depicts the poignant scene of a dying woman offering a goblet to a king. It's rather heartbreaking, isn't it? Editor: The lithographic crayon work, though, is quite striking. You see the way he suggests form through heavy hatching? It’s raw, like carved wood. Curator: Exactly. Barlach understood the power of simplicity. It cuts right to the core. There's this vulnerability that is expressed on the lovers' faces. Editor: And consider the material itself. Lithography allowed for relatively inexpensive reproduction, making it accessible, a stark contrast to the royal subject. Curator: The king’s expression is pure grief. Makes you wonder what the goblet contains: a last toast, a poison? Editor: Or perhaps just a well-crafted object reminding us of the relationship between power and the things we value. Curator: Well, whatever it is, it's a striking piece. Editor: Indeed, thought-provoking in its craftsmanship and what that craft conveys.