Anno Domini MCMXVI Post Christum Natum

Art Historical Context

Ernst Barlach's *Anno Domini MCMXVI Post Christumum* (1916), a lithograph, captures the artist's distinctive Expressionist style during a pivotal moment in history. Barlach, a German sculptor, printmaker, and, was a leading figure in early 20th-century Expressionism emphasizing raw emotion, spiritual depth, and human suffering over realistic depiction. Created amid the devastation of World War I—then in its second gr year—the title, Latin for "In the Year of Our Lord 191 After the Birth of Christ," evokes a poignant contrast between sacred timekeeping and modern catastrophe, inviting reflection on humanity's place in history. Lithography, Barlach's chosen medium here, was ideal for Expressionists: the technique uses a flat stone or metal plate treated with greasy crayon, allowing fluid, gestural lines that translate into bold, textured prints. This process enabled affordable dissemination of powerful imagery, making art accessible beyond elite circles. Barlach's prints often blend mysticism with social critique, and this work exemplifies his mastery in conveying existential weight through simplified forms and dramatic contrasts. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection (Department CG-W), this print underscores Barlach's enduring legacy in bridging sculpture's monumentality with print's intimacy, offering visitors a window into wartime introspection and artistic innovation.

About the Artist

Ernst Barlach · 1870–1938

Ernst Barlach (1870–1938) was one of the most powerful German Expressionist sculptors of the early twentieth century, an artist whose work fused medieval spirituality with modern existential anguish to produce images of haunting emotional force. Born in Wedel, Holstein, Barlach studied at the Hamburg School of Applied Arts and later at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts before traveling to Paris, wh...