Georg Kolbe

Georg Kolbe, a prominent sculptor of the first half of the twentieth century, focused his artistic expression on the portrayal of modern man through idealized nude sculptures. His breakthrough came in 1911 with "Dancer," a figure that inspired numerous sculptures reflecting the movement of contemporary dance. One of Kolbe's most notable works is "Morning," an expressive female figure that now stands in Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion, an iconic modernist building. Kolbe's sculptures caught the attention of architects such as Walter Gropius, Hans Poelzig, and Henry van de Velde, who appreciated the work's relation to their own architectural styles. Kolbe was also involved in secessionist movements and had close relationships with other artists, including Max Beckmann, Renée Sintenis, Ernst Barlach, and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff.