Sculpture "Young Woman" (1903/04), reduction in bronze
Sculpture "Young Woman" (1903/04), reduction in bronze
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ars mundi Exclusive Edition | limited, 199 copies | numbered | signature | foundry hallmark | certificate | bronze | patinated | reduction | size 39.5 x 11 x 16 cm (h/w/d) | weight 4.35 kg
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Sculpture "Young Woman" (1903/04), reduction in bronze
One of his early masterpieces: Georg Kolbe's "Young Woman". ars mundi Exclusive Edition, published in cooperation with the Kunsthalle Bremen.
His encounter with the artist Louis Tuaillon and the works of Rodin turned Georg Kolbe (1877-1947) into a sculptor. After studying painting, he devoted himself mainly to sculpture from 1900 onwards. From the start, his nudes were different from those of the academic sculpture of that time. His work contrasted the representations of the human being, which was usually depicted using a few similar poses that seemed stiff. His sculptures, on the other hand, refer to the new modern dance. They appear graceful and natural precisely in the consciously artistic expression of his models. Kolbe's "Young Woman" from 1903/1904 is one of his early masterpieces.
Fine bronze sculpture, patinated. Cast by hand using the Lost-Wax-Process. Directly moulded from the original and reduced in size (reduction). Limited edition of 199 copies, individually numbered and with the signature taken from the original as well as the foundry hallmark. ars mundi Exclusive Edition, published in cooperation with the Kunsthalle Bremen. With numbered certificate of authenticity and limitation. Size 39,5 x 11 x 16 cm (h/w/d). Weight 4,35 kg.
"I am fascinated by the subtle complexity of this sculpture. On the one hand, Georg Kolbe's female nude appears light and prancing, because of her trailing leg, the implied turn and the head turned away. On the other hand, she seems almost uncertain and cagey. The figure thus combines a classical pose with a modern conception of early 20th-century sculpture." (Prof. Dr Christoph Grunenberg, Director of the Kunsthalle Bremen)
Producer: ars mundi Edition Max Büchner GmbH, Bödekerstraße 13, 30161 Hanover, Germany, [email protected]
About Georg Kolbe
It was only during a stay in Rome from 1898 to 1901 that Georg Kolbe (1877-1947) began to engage with sculpture. The artist, who was born in Waldheim, Germany, in 1877, had travelled to Rome as an already trained painter and graphic artist who had studied in Dresden, Munich and Paris in the previous seven years and already had some initial successes. As with many artists of his generation, Rodin's work in Paris had made a deep impression on him, and since the sculptor Louis Tuallion offered and provided him with technical support during his first attempts in Rome, he quickly found his way into sculptural work. It was not until 1904, in Berlin, that he decided to concentrate entirely on the art of sculpture. Kolbe quickly gained recognition: he became a member of the Berlin Secession and Paul Cassirer, the city's most important art dealer, soon represented him.
With his "Dancer" (1910) he finally had his breakthrough. He joined the ranks of the most important German sculptors of his time. The "Dancer" is still one of his most famous works today and is said to have become an idol with its "modern" hairstyle and its self-forgetful posture reminiscent of the highly topical expressive dance of the time, to which the art-interested youth made a veritable pilgrimage.
The nude figure continued to be at the centre of his work, often linked with the motif of dance until the 1920s. Kolbe's works after World War I bear witness to his involvement with Expressionism, later turning towards the classical monumental. When Kolbe died in 1947, he left behind a body of work that can be found in renowned collections all over the world.
An alloy of copper with other metals (especially with tin) used since ancient times. It is an ideal metal for high-quality artistic castings, capable of enduring for millennia.
When casting bronze, the artist usually applies the lost-wax technique which is dating back more than 5000 years. This is the best, but also the most complex method of producing sculptures.
First, the artist forms a model of their work. This model is embedded in a liquid silicone rubber mass. Once the material has solidified, the model is cut out, leaving a negative mould. Liquid wax is then poured into the negative mould. After cooling down, the wax cast is removed from the mould, provided with sprues and dipped into ceramic mass. The ceramic mass is hardened in a kiln, where the wax melts away (lost mould).
Finally, the negative mould is ready, into which the 1400° C hot molten bronze is poured. After the bronze had cooled down, the ceramic shell is broken apart, reavoling the sculpture.
Next, the sprues are removed, the surfaces are polished, patinated and numbered by the artist or by a specialist, following their instructions. Thus, each casting is an original work.
For lower-quality bronze castings, the sand casting method is often used, which, however, does not achieve the results of a more elaborate lost-wax technique in terms of surface characteristics and quality.
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Term for an art object (sculpture, installation) that, according to the artist’s intention, is produced in multiple copies within a limited and numbered edition.
Multiples enable the "democratization" of art by making the work accessible and affordable for a wider audience.
A plastic work of sculptural art made of wood, stone, ivory, bronze or other metals.
While sculptures made of wood, ivory, or stone are carved directly from the material block, in bronze casting, a working model is prepared at first. Usually, it is made of clay or other easily mouldable materials.
The prime time of sculpture after the Greek and Roman antiquity was the Renaissance. Impressionism gave a new impulse to the sculptural arts. Contemporary artists such as Jorg Immendorf, Andora, and Markus Lupertz also enriched sculptures with outstanding works.