Ernst Kibler: Penguins and Romans

Kibler, Ernst  

(Stuttgart 11-09-1901 – after 1974)

Sculptor, graphic artist  and printmaker. 

Ernst Kibler is known (to me) by this recently surfacing signed color woodblock print showing penguins with text: ”Möge 1975 niemand frieren”:  should nobody be cold in 1975, obviously a, humorous, New-Years wish for his relatives and friends. 

Youngest of three sons of Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Kibler (1871-1937) and Hedwig Zeller (1870-1836). Studied in the “Kunst Akademie” in Stuttgart and in Berlin with sculptor Georg Kolbe (1877-1947)(below). He married Luba Herschensohn (1898-1946) and worked in Stuttgart. His sculptural work was influenced by Ernst Barlach (1870-1938) who also favored wood as sculpting material. 

In Heilbrunn (Bavaria) a statue of the Berlin Bear (“Berliner Bär”) was placed in 1960 (with Willy Brandt (1913-1992) and chancellor 1969-1974). It has been replaced in recent years. 

He also created a port-folio “Ilias” containing 25 etchings. Which I am very curious to see.................

This sketch of a dancer by Ernst Kibler more or less sums up what can be found in the Internet but gives a nice clue to his teachers and his connections with earlier generations of artists.

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His teachers:

Kolbe, Georg

(Waldheim 15-04-1870 – 20-11-1947 Berlin).

Initially trained as a painter he studied in Dresden and Munich and from 1897 at the “Académie Julian” in Paris. Lived in Rome 1898-1901 where he took up sculpting influenced by (probably under the guidance of) Louis Tuaillon(below) (1862-1919) a German sculptor living in Rome 1885-1903. Kolbe has his own Museum in his former house/ studio in Berlin. He became instantly famous when the “Nationalgalerie” in 1912 bought his bronze “Tänzerin” (below). He was am member of the Berlin Secession and the the yearly award of the “Verein der Berliner Künstler”, the “Georg Kolbe Preis” is named after him.

Tuaillon, Louis

(Berlin 07-09-1862 – 21-02-1919 Berlin).

Studied in the "Hochschule für Bildende Künste" in Berlin 1879-1881, with Reinhold Begas (1831-1911) in Berlin and with Rudolf  Weyr (1847-1914) in Vienna. He lived in Rome 1885-1903. Awarded a gold medal in the “Grossen Berliner Kunstausstellung” 1899, member of the Berlin Secession and since 1906 professor in Berlin “Kunst Akademie”. Known for his sculptures of "man and beast". This classic bronze however, "Sandalenbinderin", could have adorned a roman Villa in Claudius time.  

Although there's little evidence of Kiblers creative work in the Internet, from his sketch a red thread, of classical (roman) beauty can be followed connecting the students and his masters. 

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All pictures borrowed freely from the Internet for friendly, educational and non commercial use only.