Gerhard Henning

GERHARD HENNING (Denmark, 1880-1967).
"Child's Play," 1922.
Bronze. Exemplary no. III.
Signed and dated.
With foundry stamp L. Rasmussen, København.
In good general condition according to the antique.
Measurements: 33 x 28 x 22 cm.

This refined sculptural group, dated 1922, represents two naked youthful figures in a dynamic and enveloping composition, captured in an instant of ambiguous interaction, halfway between play and a subtle sensual tension. The intertwined arrangement of the bodies generates a fluid rhythm of curved lines, resolved through a soft and continuous modeling that accentuates the harmony of the whole.

Gerhard Henning, a Swedish-Danish sculptor, developed an oeuvre deeply focused on the human figure, especially the idealized nude. Although he did not receive specific academic training in sculpture, he achieved a remarkable formal sophistication, in part thanks to his contact with artists such as Kai Nielsen and the study of masters such as Rodin and Maillol, as well as classical sculpture at the Glyptotek in Copenhagen.

Interested in classical poetry - especially Ovid's Metamorphoses - Henning often tackled amorous and mythological themes, where the nude figure acquires a timeless dimension. This work fits into that context, combining naturalism and idealization in a scene of great intimacy and formal balance.

His work is preserved in institutions such as the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen, as well as in Scandinavian museums such as the Moderna Museet in Stockholm.

The L. Rasmussen foundry in Copenhagen was one of the leading artistic foundry houses in Denmark from the end of the 19th century, collaborating with leading sculptors and guaranteeing high quality technical execution in the translation of the model into bronze.