Intro
During the first half of the 20th century Kolbe was considered one of the most important German sculptors. In the work of his role models, Adolf von Hildebrand (1847–1921) and Auguste Rodin (1840–1917), whose sculptures he saw in Paris in 1900, he discerned the “dual basis of the new sculpture.” The depiction of the naked human body remained Kolbe’s favorite theme.
Although many of his works show figures in movement, the »Standing Girl« is characterized by a harmonious, statuesque quality. Only the left foot, placed slightly to the front over the edge of the base plate, and the differentiated posture of the hands, provide an intimation of a gesture extending into space. Apart from that, the work, produced during World War I, radiates a restrained, perhaps even melancholy peace, with a naturalistic attention to detail sacrificed in favor of clear forms. It is possible that Kolbe’s journey to Egypt, which he undertook in 1913, awakened his interest in such a formal language.
On loan from a private owner since 2004
Kunsthalle Mannheim / Cem Yücetas
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