Ernst Moritz Geyger

Overall the condition of the bronze is good. There is dirt and some minor wear to the patina consistent with age. There are some minor scratches to the back of the legs. There are some spots of greening to the base and some red pigment to the right heel. There is a slightly visible casting joint at the proper left shoulder. The arrow screws on to the fist and has a restored fissure at the arrowhead. The string of the bow is included with the lot.
"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."

The Bogenschütze ranks as one of the most iconic works of German sculpture from the turn of the nineteenth to twentieth century. It was conceived soon after Geyger's arrival in Florence in 1895. He worked up the monumental 4-metre high statue from beaten copper and submitted it to the Grosse Berliner Kunstaustellung of 1900. Critically acclaimed, it was purchased by the Kaiser in 1902 and installed on a plinth of the Kaiser's design in the Sizilianischen Garten at Sanssouci, Potsdam.

While Geyger's inspiration ultimately derives from antiquity and more specifically from an ancient torso of a wrestler in Berlin (mistakenly restored as an archer), his achievement lies in the fresh and modern reinterpretation of the Ideal. The Bogenschütze proved to be a commercial success for the Gladenbeck foundry which acquired the rights to cast reductions in bronze. They edited them in three sizes, of which this is the rare largest size.

RELATED LITERATURE
Ethos und Pathos: Die Berliner Bildhauerschule 1786-1914, ex.cat., Berlin 1990, pp.109-10; 347-48; 459-60, no.148; P.Bloch & W.Grzimek, Das Klassische Berlin, Berlin 1978, p.313, no.307