A novel one-dimensional erbium complex [ErL2(NO3)(H2O)2]n (HL = 2-picolinic acid) was synthesized by hydrothermal methods, and its crystal structure was determined by single crystal x-ray diffraction. The complex crystallize in monoclinic system, space group C2/c with a = 15.7525(5) Å, b = 11.4958(4) Å, c = 9.7977(3) Å, β = 102.862(3) °, V = 1729.72(10) Å 3, C12H10ErN309, Mr = 507.49, Z = 4, Dc = 1.949 g⋅cm-3, F(000) = 972, μ = 4.901 mm-1, S = 1.119, λ(MoKα) = 0.071073 nm, R = 0.0239 and wR = 0.0668. The 2-picolinic acid ligand adopts bidentate bridging coordination mode to connect adjacent erbium ions to form a one-dimensional chain structure. A series of properties of the complex were measured by solid-state photoluminescence, solid-state diffuse reflection and differential scanning calorimetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]