The New Day 1932

Editor: This is Ernst Barlach's "The New Day," a print held at the Harvard Art Museums. The figures with their horns blasting really strike me – there's a raw, almost desperate energy to the scene. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I feel that desperation too. Barlach lived through some brutal times. Perhaps these figures are not celebrating, but desperately trying to awaken something good in a world slipping into darkness? The light emanating from the figures almost seems forced, artificial. Editor: That's a fascinating take. I initially saw it as triumphant, but the forced light makes me rethink my interpretation. Curator: Isn't that the beauty of art? It reflects back what we bring to it. Editor: Exactly! Thanks, I’ve got a new appreciation for Barlach and this print.