Lot 34
  • 34

German, mid 19th-century

Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 GBP
bidding is closed

Description

  • Double memorial relief, probably with Johann Joachim Winckelmann and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
  • marble
  • German, mid 19th-century

Condition

Overall the condition of the marble is good, with wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There is dirt throughout, and in particular to the high points, notably around the woman's chest. There is some minor weathering to the surface consistent with placement outside. There is attractive veining to the marble throughout, consistent with the material. One area of veining is slightly open in places below the hands on the left side. There are numerous chips and abrasions to the marble, in particular around the edges, and there are several losses to the bottom edge at the front. There is an insert to the terrasse beside the snake which is slightly darker in colour. There are several metal mounts to the top and bottom edges. Two of the metal mounts are loose.
"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."

Catalogue Note

Although Winckelmann and Goethe never met, their intellectual affinity helped shape the Classical ideal in 18th-century Germany. Having only been of student age when Winckelmann died in 1768, Goethe held a deep admiration for the archaeologist and was inspired by his writings on classical art to embark on a study tour of Italy. Goethe’s reverence for Winckelmann continued throughout his career. In 1805 he edited and contributed essays to a publication on Winckelmann, in which he paints a vivid and adulatory character portrait of the art historian based only on his writings.

The two men portrayed in the present relief bear a strong resemblance to contemporary and posthumous portraits of Winckelmann and Goethe. A classically draped female figure leads the men in Roman dress together, Winckelmann placing his hand on his chest in this fictional meeting with the great writer who emerged from his scholarly influence. The relief stands in the neoclassical tradition of the double monument, of which the most famous example is perhaps the statue group of Goethe and Schiller by Ernst Rietschel in Weimar. Although the monument shows the German Princes of Poets in contemporary clothing, a model for a similar group by Christian Daniel Rauch depicts them in classical dress, emphasising the ideal inherent in their intellectual relationship.

The present relief had been mounted in the cellar of the Palais Bernheimer and later found a fitting new home on one the walls of the courtyard at Burg Marquartstein. Otto Bernheimer held the piece in high regard, referring to it as his 'Thorvaldsen'. While it is unlikely that the relief is a work by the Danish master, it is possible that it was made by one of Thorvaldsen’s talented students of German origin, some of whom also trained under Rauch in Berlin.

RELATED LITERATURE
P. Bloch, Bildwerke 1780-1910. Skulpturengalerie und Nationalgalerie Berlin, Berlin, 1990, pp. 90-92, no. 60; Künstlerleben in Rom. Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844). Der dänische Bildhauer und seine deutschen Freunde, exh. cat. Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg, 1991