Johannes Boese

JOHANNES BOESE (1856 - 1917).
"Maternity", c. 1910.
Patinated bronze.
Signed.
Measurements: 210 x 76 x 48 cm.

This piece represents an intimate and universal scene: a mother joyfully raising her child in the air. The sculpture stands out for its naturalism and delicacy in the representation of the bodies, capturing the emotional connection between mother and child with great expressive force. The detailed treatment of the anatomies and the polished surface of the bronze reflect a classical aesthetic that seeks to highlight the beauty of the human body and the nobility of the maternal bond. The piece can be understood as a celebration of motherhood and life.

Johannes Boese's (1851-1912) artistic career began in woodcarving, and he later trained academically at the Gleiwitz Vocational School and later at the prestigious Prussian Academy of Arts under the tutelage of Fritz Schaper and Albert Wolff.

Although he initially aspired to become an architect, his early sculptural works for architectural projects and international recognition, such as the medal won for his work "Narcissus" at the Melbourne Exhibition of 1888, eventually led him to devote himself to monumental sculpture. One of his most outstanding works was the sculptural group for the "Siegesallee" in Berlin, commissioned directly by Kaiser Wilhelm II after the success of his satirical figure "Kaiser Wilhelm I with a magnifying glass"; this work consolidated him as an important figure in the official art of the German Empire.

In 1902, his monument to Kaiser Frederick III in Posen earned him a professorship at the Academy of Arts.

Boese was an active member of various cultural associations and received the Order of the Red Eagle in recognition of his artistic contribution. His works reflect an academic style, in the service of historical memory and German imperial identity.