FRANZ VON STUCK (1863-1928) STUDIED AT THE SCHOOL OF APPLIED ARTS IN MUNICH FROM 1878-81 AND FROM 1881-85 AT THE MUNICH ACADEMY. STUCK BEGAN A SUCCESSFUL CAREER AS A PAINTER AND GRAPHIC ARTIST IN 1889, AND FROM THE 1890S HIS OEUVRE INCLUDED SCULPTURE. HE WAS THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE MUNICH SECESSION IN 1892, WAS APPOINTED PROFESSOR AT THE MUNICH ACADEMY IN 1895 AND ENOBLED IN 1906.
ALTHOUGH SMALLER IN NUMBER, HIS SCULPTURES WERE AS SUCCESSFUL AS HIS PAINTED AND GRAPHIC WORK. STUCK EXECUTED 12 STATUETTES, 7 RELIEFS AND OTHER DECORATION FOR THE VILLA STUCK IN MUNICH, WHICH WAS BUILT TO HIS DESIGNS. THE PRESENT MODEL, KNOWN AS THE AMAZON IS A REDUCTION OF THE MONUMENT STUCK DESIGNED FOR THE COLOGNE KUNSTVEREIN AND ALSO FOR THE FRONT GARDEN AT THE VILLA STUCK. THE SIGNATURE ON THE PRESENT FINE AND DETAILED CAST OMITS THE 'VON', AND THUS SUGGESTS THAT IT WAS CAST PRIOR TO 1906, THE YEAR IN WHICH STUCK WAS ENOBLED. CASTS OF THIS EARLIER DATE ARE RARE, ONE OTHER IS ILLUSTRATED BY RADENBERG (OP. CIT.). SEE LOTS .