Emil Kiemlen

private collection, South Germany, until 2010

Overall the condition of the marble is good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is veining to the marble consistent with the material and there are a few small naturally occurring inclusions. The proper right thumb is reattached and restored. There are some chips and abrasions (including a larger loss) to the edges of the terrasse. There are further smaller chips and abrasions to the foliage. The surface is a little dry in some areas and so may have possibly been outside for a period of time. There is wear to the base including some losses to the surface at the bottom.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This elegant marble shows a youth about to swat a bee that has landed on his leg. The subject and the masterful twisting pose, as the boy turns to the left, lifting his right leg and raising his hand to strike, finds its inspiration in Alfred Gilbert's Comedy and Tragedy, conceived in 1891/2 (see Dorment, op. cit., no. 22). Gilbert's model famously shows a boy holding a grinning comedy mask, behind which the viewer can see an expression of horror fixed upon the boy's face in a reaction to a stinging bee that has landed on his leg. The present marble reverses the pose of Gilbert's figure, which is itself inspired by Mannerist models such as Giambologna's Apollo.

Emil Kiemlen, the sculptor of the present marble, was born in Stuttgart, training in his native city and subsequently in Paris at the Académie Julian. He is today best known for his public monuments, including the Bismarck Memorial in Heilbronn. Kiemlen's works exhibit a mixture of classicism and historicism, subtly influenced by the Art Nouveau. The present marble compares most with Kiemlen's public fountains, such as the Froschbrunnen and Libellen-Brunnen in Stuttgart, which respectively feature a corpulent herm bust of a faun and a graceful fairy who playfully taunts a bucolic mask.

RELATED LITERATURE
R. Dorment, Alfred Gilbert. Sculptor and Goldsmith, exh. cat. Royal Academy of Arts, 1986, pp. 116-117, no. 22