The Avenger

Ernst Barlach

National Gallery of Art

The sculpture depicts a person with their body bent forward, one leg extended down below them and the other stretched out backwards in the air, perpendicular to the ground. The person's arms are raised and bent at the elbows, with hands grasping a long, curved object near the back of their head. Their brow appears furrowed, their wide mouth in a neutral expression. The figure is dressed in a flowing garment that appears to be caught in mid-motion, its deep folds extending backwards. The sculpture has a rich brown color with a mottled surface, and the piece is supported on a slightly slanted rectangular base.