Lot 486
GERHARD MARCKS (1889-1981) §
PAIR OF SEA BIRDS
Auction: 26 October 2016 at 12:00 BST
Description
bronze, signed with artist's monogram
Dimensions
40cm high
Footnote
Note: Gerhard Marcks (1889-1981) was a German sculptor who worked mainly in bronze. He was first trained in Berlin where he befriended Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus art school. Because of this, Marcks held a major position in the Bauhaus Pottery Workshop from the school's creation in 1919 to the closing of that department in 1925. He then taught at the School of Applied Arts near Halle, becoming director in 1928. He was removed from this position in 1933 by the Nazis, who further showed their dislike of his work by including it in the 'Degenerate Art' exhibition of 1937. Despite this, Marcks continued to live and work in Germany throughout World War II and afterwards. He is most famous for his large scale figural works but he also produced a number of small bronze animals. The vast majority of his sculptures are now in the purpose-built Gerhard Marcks Haus in Bremen, Northern Germany.