Atlases on the Wallpavillon of the Dresden Zwinger

1880

Adolph Menzel

Associated Names
Adolph Menzel

Artist, German, 1815 - 1905

The image shows two sculpted figures on the facade of a building. The figures are likely atlantes, which are male figures used as architectural supports. Both figures are depicted in a classical style with muscular builds. The figure on the left has its hands placed behind its head, while the figure on the right also has its arms bent and hands raised above its head. The figures are draped with cloth around their lower bodies, and there are intricate carved details such as floral garlands and swirling decorative elements. The sculpture is monochromatic, suggesting it is made of stone or plaster. Each figure is intricately carved with attention to anatomical detail. The setting suggests a baroque or classical architectural style with ornate embellishments framing the figures.

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Artwork overview

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Estate of the artist. (Gerd Rosen [1903-1961]), Berlin. Richard Tüngel [1893-1970], Ahrensburg; Wolfgang Ratjen, Munich; purchased 2007 by NGA.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1963

  • Adolph Menzel, Handzeichnungnen. Kunsthalle Bremen, 1963, 65, no. 128 (reprod. p. 13).

1982

  • Menzel der Beobachter. Hamburger Kunsthalle. Munich, 1982, 206, no. 126.

2005

  • Menzel in Dresden. Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Kupferstich-Kabinett. Dresden, 2005, 46, 47 (fig. 18), 107,176, no. 50 (reprod. p. 177).

2010

  • German Master Drawings from the Wolfgang Ratjen Collection, 1580 - 1900, NGA, 2010: 19, 38, under no. 97, no. 108.

Bibliography

1890

  • Jordan, Max, and Robert Dohme. Das Werk Adolph Menzels: Vom Künstler autorisierte Ausgabe. Munich, 1890: 95, pl. 100.

1895

  • Jordan, Max. Das Werk Adolph Menzels. Festausgabe zum 80. Geburtstag des Künstlers. Munich, 1895: 71.

1901

  • Boetticher, Friedrich von. Malerwerke des neunzehnten Jahrhunderts. 2 vols. Leipzig, 1901, vol. 2: 23, no. 59.

1930

  • Grafe, Adolf. "Adolph Menzel in Dresden. Seine Besuche im Historischen Museum in der Galerie und im Zwinger." Dresdner Anzeiger. 8 February 1930: 3.

1962

  • Schuler, Josef Egon, and Rolk Hänsler. Meisterzeichnungen von der Welt bewundert. Munich, 1962: 204 (reprod. p. 205).

1976

  • Ebertshäuser, Heidi. Adolph von Menzel. Das graphische Werk. 2 vols. Munich, 1976: vol. 2, 1164 (reprod.).

1981

  • Adolph Menzel, Realist-Historist-Maler dees Hofes: Gemälde, Gouachen, Aquarelle, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik. Kunsthalle zu Kiel. Schweinfurt, 1981: 107, under no. 82.

1993

  • Heese, Andreas. "Adolph Menzel in Dresden. Die Sicht Adolph Menzels auf den Barock." Ph.D. dissertation, Martin Luther Universität, Halle, 1993: no. 66.

Inscriptions

monogrammed and dated at lower center in graphite: A. M./13 Aug./1880; verso at upper right: 79[underlined]/36; at lower right: 392 [underlined]; below that: 933; and next to that: 23491 [?]

Watermarks

none

Wikidata ID

Q64533362

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