Schäferin. 1945.
Bronze with brown patina.
Rudloff 485. With artist's signet on plinth, as well as verso with number and foundry mark "Rich. Barth, BLN Mariendorf". One of 7 copies. Height: 63 cm (24.8 in).
The first 6 copies were cast by the art foundry Richard Barth, Berlin-Mariendorf, between 1952 and 1957, the seventh copy was made in 1969. The figure is not mentioned in Marcks' diary, however, in a letter to Rudolf Hoffmann, Cologne, from 31 August 1953 he wrote the following: "The 'Hirtin' (sic) seems to be the standing (figure) with the hands in front of her chest from 1945, which is not mentioned in the catalog (diary) .." (Gerhard Marcks-Haus, Bremen, archive Rudolf Hoffmann).

We are grateful to Dr. Arie Hartog for the kind support in cataloging this lot.

PROVENANCE: Valentin Gallery, New York.
Estate John J. O'Neill, New York.

Time and again Marcks was occupied with the motif of the standing nude. The classic proportions, rendered in the artist's characteristic archaic style, become very obvious in this work. The young girl's gracile posture in combination with her soft contours and a chatoyant surface structure make for the specail charm of this bronze. [EL]