Freya
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. She is considered the goddess of fertility and spring, and happiness and love, as well as the teacher of sorcery and leader of the Valkyries. Marcks portrays her standing in a relaxed contrapposto pose, aware of her perfect femininity, but not putting it on display to the outside world. Rather, she seems to be contemplating her own thoughts with a lowered gaze, introverted, but full of energy. Her stance and expression show how strongly the artist was influenced by his interest in antiquity and sculpture from that time. The work’s simplicity and formal reduction demonstrate the artist’s search for imagery that transcends time, which he has succeeded in finding with this figure.
Further reading:
StadtKunstFührer: Skulpturen im Duisburger Stadtraum, ed. by the Stiftung Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg 2012, p. 144.
Gerhard Marcks
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