Squirrel

Wilhelm Krieger (Norderney 1877 - Herrsching 1945)

1934. Bronze, olive-brown patinated. H. 24 x 28 x 10 cm. Signed Krieger on the back of the plinth. Restored at the base of the tail. In his characterization of the squirrel, Krieger masterfully limits himself to the essentials of its form: curiously and alertly erect, with erect ears and slightly raised tail, only the more important parts such as the claws of the hind paws are sharply modeled - Literature: Cat. rais. Krieger/Schmidt 200 (167); The present example is a lifetime cast; according to Hajo Krieger's records, another lifetime casting was sold to the Commeter Gallery in 1939 - Provenance: Krieger family; Private property in southern Germany - German sculptor. After an apprenticeship as a decorative painter, Krieger studied briefly at the Kunstgewerbeschule München in 1906/07 and trained as a self-taught sculptor from 1901. From 1907 he participated in the exhibitions of the Munich Secession, the large Berlin art exhibitions and from 1937-1944 in the annual Great German Art Exhibition at the Haus der Kunst. K. devoted himself above all to animal sculptures, which were executed in bronze, brass, stone and porcelain. Lit.: H. Krieger und M. Schmidt (Hrsg.): Wilhelm Krieger - Tierbildhauer. Katalog der bekannten Werke. Neustadt an der Aisch, 214; M. Schmidt-Magin: Wilhelm Krieger, in: Sammlerjournal Oct. 2020, p. 50-55.