Gerhard Marcks is best known for his animal figures, but he also sculpted some timeless female nudes, including this life-size bronze statue of Freya. The Germanic goddess is one of the most important figures in Norse mythology. As an equal in the world of gods, she didn’t hesitate to use her femininity to her advantage.…

Cologne-based sculptor Gerhard Marcks created the Deutz Buck in 1963 on behalf of the city of Cologne. It was intended as a symbol for the members of the annual carnival, as well as the local marksmen from Deutz. Since it’s unveiling, it has also become an emblem of the district. This particular animal comes from…

Polymath Albertus Magnus (died and buried in Cologne in 1280) led the Cologne school of his order to international acclaim. Subsequently, the city founded the University of Cologne in 1388 to succeed his institution. In front of the university’s main entrance, there is a bronze statue honoring the accomplishments of the theologian and teacher. This…

Today, the landmarked Altstadtfriedhof in Mülheim is an expansive park with individually preserved gravestones. Gerhard Marcks’s Memorial for the Victims of Both World Wars serves as its northern boundary. It consists of a walled courtyard with a sculpture in the center. Resting atop a low base, the artist has depicted a human figure that is…

There are four castings of Gerhard Marcks’s bronze Fortuna sculpture, one of which is located in front of the Landeszentralbank in Dortmund. In this very appropriate location, the Roman goddess of fate and fortune stands atop a narrow pedestal. The viewer is forced to look up at the radiant gold figure, while her own gaze…

Gerhard Marcks’s Eve by looks back on an eventful history: The artist had already created a plaster model of the sculpture in 1938. After a bombing, it was recovered from the rubble of his studio as a torso and then buried by American soldiers to protect it from further destruction. In 1947, Marcks completed the…

Gerhard Marcks portrays the legendary singer and poet Orpheus from Greek mythology in a moment of contemplation. He is standing upright with his head slightly tilted and leaning against his violin bow – it’s as if he wants to actively focus before playing or is listening for the last fading notes of his song. The…

The Nikolaikirche in Siegen – a 13th century Romanesque parish church – was destroyed down to the tower and foundation walls during World War II. In the course of reconstruction, the church also received a new main portal, which sculptor Gerhard Marcks was commissioned to design. The artist had previously worked as Bauhaus ceramist, but…