Large Standing Adolf Hitler in Bronze- Theodore Karner (1884- 1966)
Rare, early, beautifully cast and finely chased, bronze standing figure of
Adolf Hitler in his brown shirt uniform by Professor Theodor Kärner. It is
one of only two known castings of this model. This bronze measures
approximately 16" tall and the bronze base measures approx. 4" x 4 3/4". Many of
Kärner's standing male figures are modeled as this one is, in contraposto,
with weight shifted onto one leg. This is true of his Allach models of the
Luftwaffe pilot, SS Officer, and Luftwaffe Officer. The bronze is crisply
signed in the base. It was likely mounted on a marble base at some time, as
there is a cast in threaded hole with a bronze rod sheared off in it. The
statue is in excellent original condition. There are some dark spots to the
olive brown patina, but it does not detract. A remarkably rare and early
bronze by one of the most important sculptors of the period.
Theodor Kärner (born 10 January 1884 in Hohenberg an der Eger, † 6
September 1966 in Munich) was a German porcelain modeller and animal sculptor.
1898-1903 graduated Kärner trained as a modeller at the company
Hutschenreuther.
He then attended the sculpture class of Professor Heinrich Wadere
(1865-1950) and the class for decorative sculpture with Professor Anton Pruska
(1846-1930) at the Bavarian royal art school in Munich.
Between 1914 and 1921 he was enrolled in with the animal painter Professor
Heinrich von reins (1850-1941) at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich as a
guest student, and later in evening classes.
From 1905 to 1918 he worked as a sculptor in a permanent position in the
Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory in Munich.
Between 1918 and 1934, then as a freelancer at the Rosenthal in Selb.
1917 Philipp Rosenthal (1855-1937) bought the porcelain factory in Selb.
Although belonging to the AG, it was initially private property of the
business owner.
Around 1922 there began the production of art and decorative porcelain in
its entirety.
From this point is likely that Theodor Kärner was a permanent employee
there.
In the porcelain manufactory Allach he was subsequently hired as artistic
director until 1945.
The porcelain factory Allach was by this time an operating branch of the
SS with Dachau.
Theodor Kärner was raised there in the honorary rank of
SS-Hauptsturmführer.
On 20 April 1938 was followed by an appointment as professor at the
Academy of Fine Arts in Munich.
In 1940 he took part in the Great German Art Exhibition in the "House of
German Art" in Munich.
On issue of German artists and the SS in 1944 he was a
"Malachowsky-Hussar" issued.
As part of the denazification of 1945-47 he was interned in the camp
Moosbach.
After his release Kärner was in the years 1947-1953 head of the art
department of the porcelain factory Eschenbach in Windischeschenbach.
There, part of the collection was acquired from Allach and was produced.
Rosenthal employed Theodor Kärner 1953 again as a freelancer in the same
year and took over the art department from Windischeschenbach Allacher
Kärner with all models that have been performed by the close of the art
department in Selb there.
Known at the time of Theodor Kärner: 88 models for Nymphenburg, 114 models
and 51 models for Allach Rosenthal.
Rare, early, beautifully cast and finely chased, bronze standing figure of
Adolf Hitler in his brown shirt uniform by Professor Theodor Kärner. It is
one of only two known castings of this model. This bronze measures
approximately 16" tall and the bronze base measures approx. 4" x 4 3/4". Many of
Kärner's standing male figures are modeled as this one is, in contraposto,
with weight shifted onto one leg. This is true of his Allach models of the
Luftwaffe pilot, SS Officer, and Luftwaffe Officer. The bronze is crisply
signed in the base. It was likely mounted on a marble base at some time, as
there is a cast in threaded hole with a bronze rod sheared off in it. The
statue is in excellent original condition. There are some dark spots to the
olive brown patina, but it does not detract. A remarkably rare and early
bronze by one of the most important sculptors of the period.
Theodor Kärner (born 10 January 1884 in Hohenberg an der Eger, † 6
September 1966 in Munich) was a German porcelain modeller and animal sculptor.
1898-1903 graduated Kärner trained as a modeller at the company
Hutschenreuther.
He then attended the sculpture class of Professor Heinrich Wadere
(1865-1950) and the class for decorative sculpture with Professor Anton Pruska
(1846-1930) at the Bavarian royal art school in Munich.
Between 1914 and 1921 he was enrolled in with the animal painter Professor
Heinrich von reins (1850-1941) at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich as a
guest student, and later in evening classes.
From 1905 to 1918 he worked as a sculptor in a permanent position in the
Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory in Munich.
Between 1918 and 1934, then as a freelancer at the Rosenthal in Selb.
1917 Philipp Rosenthal (1855-1937) bought the porcelain factory in Selb.
Although belonging to the AG, it was initially private property of the
business owner.
Around 1922 there began the production of art and decorative porcelain in
its entirety.
From this point is likely that Theodor Kärner was a permanent employee
there.
In the porcelain manufactory Allach he was subsequently hired as artistic
director until 1945.
The porcelain factory Allach was by this time an operating branch of the
SS with Dachau.
Theodor Kärner was raised there in the honorary rank of
SS-Hauptsturmführer.
On 20 April 1938 was followed by an appointment as professor at the
Academy of Fine Arts in Munich.
In 1940 he took part in the Great German Art Exhibition in the "House of
German Art" in Munich.
On issue of German artists and the SS in 1944 he was a
"Malachowsky-Hussar" issued.
As part of the denazification of 1945-47 he was interned in the camp
Moosbach.
After his release Kärner was in the years 1947-1953 head of the art
department of the porcelain factory Eschenbach in Windischeschenbach.
There, part of the collection was acquired from Allach and was produced.
Rosenthal employed Theodor Kärner 1953 again as a freelancer in the same
year and took over the art department from Windischeschenbach Allacher
Kärner with all models that have been performed by the close of the art
department in Selb there.
Known at the time of Theodor Kärner: 88 models for Nymphenburg, 114 models
and 51 models for Allach Rosenthal.