In a limited edition booklet (reprint of
1959) which accompanied an exhibition on Martin van Waning in 1978, his
friendship with and the influence on his sculptural work by Philipp Modrow in Wiesbaden is mentioned. Here’s what I
was able to find on this short lived German forgotten sculptor.
Modrow,
Philipp
(Frankfurt - Oberursel 08-05-1882 – 06-12-1928
Davos)
German sculptor working in Wiesbaden around 1910.
He had been a student of sculptor Emil Cauer (1867-1946) and had moved with his family (his wife's name is Elfriede) to Davos in Switzerland, probably after WWI because of his lung disease (probably Tuberculosis, consumption) living and working in a small house behind Hotel
Buol.
Here he created sculptures like: “die
Qual” (the Ailment), memorial
sculptures (“der Atmer”, the Breather)
and portrait bustes (of friends and other tuberculosis patients in Davos).
He had great thoughts of founding an
international “Frauen-Hochschule”
(University for women) in Davos with Esperanto as the official language in 1921.
The idea was dismissed by the city council. However, the university actually was established and opening in the year of his death, the inaugural speaker was: Albert Einstein (1879-1955).
I found this possible biographical clue to a Frankfurt/Oberursel Modrow family. In 1876-77 in the former “Wiemersmüle” in Oberursel (near Frankfurt) a chicken farm was started
by a Philipp Modrow, possibly his
father. Later “Moterenwerke Oberursel” later was established here.
Lit.:
- “Der
Kunstwanderer” 1922, “Mitteilungnen von Frau Elfriede Modrow Berlin”.
- Reinhardt Michel (b.1917): Philipp Kurt Modrow in “Heft
50 (2011) der Oberurseler Mitteilungen des Geschichtsvereins”. I wonder if a reader will be able to obtain copies of this article for me.
Works:
“Salomé” with the head of John the Baptist (beheaded by King Herod II after
he had condemned the marriage with his brothers widow, and Salomé’s mother).
”der
Dornauszieher” (Boy with thorn, the Thorn picker/puller, "Spinaro") in Palmenhaus (Stadtpark Mainz) Marmor, 0,84 cm.
Schenkung aus den Familienbesitz von Louisa
von Rautenkranz und Konsul Ernesto Schneider. Ursprunglicher Standort im Grüngürtlel
am St.-Vincenz – Krankenhaus 1974 und 1975 mutwillig beschädigt.
The Thorn-picker is a classic Hellinistic sculpture
motif. I could not find a picture of Modrows statue but it will look like these examples above by: classic Hellinistic artist and Gustav Eberlein (1879-1926).
“Der
Atmer”, 1923 memorial in Davos for Dr. Alexander Spengler (1827-1901),
pioneer tuberculosis specialist who discovered the beneficial properties of
height and clean air in patients with lung disease and established a sanatorium
(health spa, “Kurort”) for patients
in Davos.
Cauer,
Emil
(Bad Kreuznach 06-08-1867 – 13-02-1946
Gersfeld/Hessen)
sculptor and Philipp Modrows teacher.
Son of sculptor Karl Cauer (1828-1885 and Elisabeth Magdalena Smidt. Grandson of
sculptor Emil Cauer (1800-1867).
Student of his father and his uncle Robert
Cauer (1831-1893) in Rome and from 1888 student of Otto Lessing (1846-1912) in
Berlins “Unterrichtsanstalt des Kunstgewerbemuseums”. His marble “Wasserschöpferin” was exhibited in the
1903 “Großen
Berliner Kunstausstellung” and was personally bought by Kaiser (Emperor) Wilhelm II (1859-1941): a classic case of good taste. It is now in Berlins
National Gallery. The sculpture is created/inspired by the classic Hellinistic "Venus Crouching" a very popular and much copied and imitated classic Greeck marble statue.
This one probably the most famous, the Lely Venus (see the link) in the British Museum.
-------------------------------
All pictures borrowed freely from the Interenet for friendly, educational and non commercial use only.
All pictures mouse-clickable to embiggen.
No comments:
Post a Comment