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Lot Essay
The present work is one of Schlemmer's first and most well-known sculptures.
There exists an original photograph taken in 1919 of Schlemmer's atelier in Stutttgart which includes the present relief (Oskar Schlemmer Archiv, Stuttgart). Furthermore, Schlemmer produced a preparatory sketch which relates to the relief and which is now housed in a private collection.
1919 marked a turning-point in Schlemmer's life and work. Returning from the front in the autumn of 1918, Schlemmer was confronted with the political and artistic conflicts of the Stuttgarter Akademie. Elected to be the student representative of the Academy, he battled, in vain, to implement reform within the academy, and bring about the nomination of Paul Klee as successor to Adolf Hoelzel. Unsuccessful, he united with other students, notably Baumeister, to create the Üecht Gruppe, a reunion of avant-garde artists. The artistic orientations of the members varied, reflecting influences which ranged from Expressionism through Cubism to Futurism. Amongst them, Schlemmer's strong tectonic shapes stood out from all other works.
Schlemmer created five reliefs during this year, including the present work. The essence of Schlemmer's style, with its cold and geometrical forms and its monochrome colour scheme was already established and automatically identifiable.
The purety of form and the harmony of design in the present work already anticipate the credo of the Bauhaus school, created in the same year and which Schlemmer became involved in 1920 as a teacher of sculpture. There he further developed his artistic ideals.
A similar plaster to the present relief is located in the Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart. Schlemmer experimented with this shape in various techniques. A version, now lost, comprised wood and glass pieces, whilst a third was gilded (formerly Sammlung und Archiv fr Knstler der Breslauer Akademie, Kassel).
The innovative relief inspired Schlemmer's brother to compose the following poem:
'Sie ist umlagert von Leuten
die fragen, was soll das bedeuten?
Sieht aus wie ein Mensch,
und auch wieder nicht-
hat keine Arme,
auch kein rechtes Gesicht.
Ein Brett vor der Stirn, einen hohlen Kopf,
einen mächtigen Vollbart,
oder ist's ein Kropf?
dann der dicke Bauch,
nach unten ein Schlauch
steckt in einem viel zu großen
Fuß oder Schuh-/Herr Nachbar, was sagen Sie dazu?
Vorne wie ein Tron/und hinten das Spitze,
sieht's nicht aus,
als ob er sich dran sttze?
Der kleine Dicke ist ganz erbost:
"Was sich heute/die Herren Knstler erlauben,
ist eine Frechheit,
ist kaum zu glauben!
Man meint, sie wäre alle
nicht recht bei Trost."
Noch immer stehen die Leute davor:
Ganz hbbsch, aber
was stellt es eigentlich vor?'
(Wilhelm Schlemmer).
There exists an original photograph taken in 1919 of Schlemmer's atelier in Stutttgart which includes the present relief (Oskar Schlemmer Archiv, Stuttgart). Furthermore, Schlemmer produced a preparatory sketch which relates to the relief and which is now housed in a private collection.
1919 marked a turning-point in Schlemmer's life and work. Returning from the front in the autumn of 1918, Schlemmer was confronted with the political and artistic conflicts of the Stuttgarter Akademie. Elected to be the student representative of the Academy, he battled, in vain, to implement reform within the academy, and bring about the nomination of Paul Klee as successor to Adolf Hoelzel. Unsuccessful, he united with other students, notably Baumeister, to create the Üecht Gruppe, a reunion of avant-garde artists. The artistic orientations of the members varied, reflecting influences which ranged from Expressionism through Cubism to Futurism. Amongst them, Schlemmer's strong tectonic shapes stood out from all other works.
Schlemmer created five reliefs during this year, including the present work. The essence of Schlemmer's style, with its cold and geometrical forms and its monochrome colour scheme was already established and automatically identifiable.
The purety of form and the harmony of design in the present work already anticipate the credo of the Bauhaus school, created in the same year and which Schlemmer became involved in 1920 as a teacher of sculpture. There he further developed his artistic ideals.
A similar plaster to the present relief is located in the Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart. Schlemmer experimented with this shape in various techniques. A version, now lost, comprised wood and glass pieces, whilst a third was gilded (formerly Sammlung und Archiv fr Knstler der Breslauer Akademie, Kassel).
The innovative relief inspired Schlemmer's brother to compose the following poem:
'Sie ist umlagert von Leuten
die fragen, was soll das bedeuten?
Sieht aus wie ein Mensch,
und auch wieder nicht-
hat keine Arme,
auch kein rechtes Gesicht.
Ein Brett vor der Stirn, einen hohlen Kopf,
einen mächtigen Vollbart,
oder ist's ein Kropf?
dann der dicke Bauch,
nach unten ein Schlauch
steckt in einem viel zu großen
Fuß oder Schuh-/Herr Nachbar, was sagen Sie dazu?
Vorne wie ein Tron/und hinten das Spitze,
sieht's nicht aus,
als ob er sich dran sttze?
Der kleine Dicke ist ganz erbost:
"Was sich heute/die Herren Knstler erlauben,
ist eine Frechheit,
ist kaum zu glauben!
Man meint, sie wäre alle
nicht recht bei Trost."
Noch immer stehen die Leute davor:
Ganz hbbsch, aber
was stellt es eigentlich vor?'
(Wilhelm Schlemmer).