Rudolf Marcuse

RUDOLPH MARCUSE (Berlin, 1878 - London, 1940).
Figure.
Signed.
Bronze.
Measurements: 46 x 33 x 18 cm; 56 cm (height with base).

Rudolph Marcuse was a German sculptor of great success who knew how to capture like few others the energy of the "modern woman" of the 20's. The figure is captured in a precarious and electrifying balance. The raised leg and outstretched arms create a diagonal line of action that dominates the entire space. The gold details (the headband or bandeau and the earrings) are typical of the luxury of the period. This contrast of colors highlights the face and gives it an exotic air, very much influenced by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes that caused a furor in Berlin and Paris. Marcuse trained at the Berlin Academy and gained early recognition for his porcelain and bronze figures. He worked extensively for the famous Rosenthal porcelain manufactory, which influenced his ability to create stylized and elegant figures.
Due to his Jewish origins, he had to emigrate to England in the 1930s, which marks a clear division in his artistic production. This piece belongs to his most brilliant German period, where his female figures were the epitome of sophistication.