Der Heilende – der Geheilte – der Kranke / The Healer – the Healed – the Sick

Karl Hartung is among the pioneers of abstract sculpture in Germany. This trio from the 1950s marks a point in his work where the human form was abstracted and reduced to its essential traits. Hartung did not turn to geometric construction like a number of Bauhaus-oriented artists, but was instead interested in natural and organically grown forms.
The influence of natural materials is even evident in the surface structure of these sculptures: it is uneven, rough, and earthy; there are deep furrows and notches; and it is covered in a naturally occurring bronze patina. In this work, the upright Healer – situated in relation to the two recumbent figures – the more dynamic Healed, and the stationary Sick are not reproduced as individuals, but as symbols of human states of being.