Georg Hartmann

Overall this sculpture is in good original condition, as per the catalogue illustrations. There are scattered fine lines of craquelure in the painted wood and gesso surface, with a number of tiny scattered surface spots of paint flaking which are relatively minor, and minor tarnishing to the metal, both of which are consistent with the work's age. The red pigments notably appear to be slightly uneven in tone, possibly corresponding to strokes of retouching, however the pigments do not fluoresce clearly under ultra-violet light. There is a possible small dent in the tubing at the front (visible in the catalogue illustration), and a small loss on the enamel wheel at the reverse, however the work appears otherwise to be generally intact. The mechanism clearly moves however its workings have not been fully tested. For further photographs of this work please see Sothebys.com or email Veslemoy.Larsen@Sothebys.com.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Executed in 1928 whilst Georg Hartmann was a student at the Bauhaus, Mechanical Head perfectly encapsulates the theories of the Bauhaus movement. This particular sculpture is one of four in a series revolving around the human head, clearly inspired by the Dadaist Mechanical Head (Spirit of our Time) of 1919 by Raoul Hausmannn (fig. 1).

In post-Great War Germany there was a general belief that the artist could bring about better social conditions through the creation of new visual environments. This theory initiated the Bauhaus philosophy that technology was the answer to saving the world. It was from this hotbed of utopian aspiration that Walter Gropius founded the Bauhaus in Weimar in 1919. The Bauhaus school operated in three German cities until 1933, when it was closed by the Nazis who considered it degenerate. Despite being short-lived, its theories and teachings profoundly influenced the direction of modern art, design and architecture.

While attending the Dessau campus of the Bauhaus from 1927-29, Hartmann was heavily involved with the theatre department as both a performer and set designer. His interests with theatre are evident in his sculptures, as he incorporates theatrical elements of detail and mechanics into the human figure. 

While the Bauhaus aimed to improve the world by means of a joining of modern art and technology, the preoccupation with robots or robotic figures in post-war European visual arts and literature had an altogether darker side. Artists such as Frantisek Foltyn (fig. 2), Josef Capek or film makers such as Fritz Lang in his 1927 film Metropolis used the figure of the humanoid robot to display an apocalyptic view of man's fate in the machine age, which represents the creeping dehumanisation of the world due to rapid industrialisation: the imperialism of metal and machine over man. Hartmann's mechanical head, a figure half man, half machine, in this context can also be read as an automaton bereft of its humanity. In lieu of a heart, there is a playing card – the ace of spades. Traditionally the highest card in the deck, in popular legend and folklore the ace of spades is a symbol of death, challenges and change.

Fig. 1, Raoul Haussmann, Spirit of Our time (Mechanical Head), Berlin 1919, Musée nationale d'Art moderne - Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, Photo (C) Centre Pompidou, RMN-Grand Palais © ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2014 


Fig. 2, Frantisek Foltyn, Imperalism, 1925, sold: Sotheby’s London, 13 June 2011, lot 20