Der singende Mann

In his sculptural works, Ernst Barlach rejected an idealized image of man. He avoided effusive pathos, working close to reality and focusing on the depiction of basic human experiences and emotions. Outwardly, »The Singing Man« merely appears to show a man sitting on the floor and singing with his eyes closed. However, we are simultaneously presented with the figure of a man deeply absorbed in the moment and his own activity.

Oblivious to the world around him, the singer is at one with himself and his song, radiating an obvious love of life. The sculpture’s tangible lightness—its direct expression of emotion—is complemented by the warmth of the bronze. For Barlach, this material “preserves the entire freshness of the momentary feeling.”