The friendship between August Gaul and Ernst Barlach was essential for both sculptors and enriched the art of their time.
The artist Ernst Barlach (1870-1938) described his "acquaintance and friendship" with his colleague August Gaul (1869-1921) as one of the "main values" of his life. For the first time, the Ernst Barlach Foundation is devoting itself to this unique relationship and invites visitors to get to know the work and the personal connection between the two exceptional sculptors through selected exhibits.
Ernst Barlach, whose focus was on metaphorical depictions of people, and August Gaul, who favored the artistic exploration of animals, established a special formal language that followed an abbreviation of basic forms and a reduction of details. Expressive works from each phase of their creative work impressively demonstrate the stages of their development as artists and also reveal their pioneering role in German modernist sculpture. Special attention will be paid to the art dealer Paul Cassirer (1871-1926) and his decisive role in establishing both sculptors on the German art market.
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog with specialist essays and an extensive picture section.
