Dood kind wordt begraven Possibly 1919

Ernst Barlach made this woodcut print called 'Dood kind wordt begraven'. Imagine Barlach, wrestling with the wood, carving out these stark contrasts. It's as if he’s digging into the depths of human grief, one gouge at a time. The woman bending over the child's body, her form draped and heavy, is rendered with such rawness, you feel the weight of her sorrow. I wonder if Barlach felt like he was burying something himself when he made this. Maybe a part of his own innocence, or a belief in a world without such pain? He captures a moment of profound loss, but also a kind of stark beauty in the way the figures connect amidst the rough, hewn landscape. There's a lineage here, of course. Käthe Kollwitz comes to mind, with her unflinching portrayals of suffering. But Barlach brings his own particular brand of earthy expressionism to the table. These artists keep the conversation going, reminding us of the power of art to confront and console.