Fantasy ~ Fritz Klimsch
An offspring of a generation of artists, Fritz Klimsch (1870 - 1960) was a leading and prolific German sculptor of the first half of the twentieth century. Having decided to become a sculptor at the age of 15, and having won a state prize as a student at the age of 24, it was a long sojourn to Greece that confirmed his decision to dedicate his life to classical statuary art.
On his honeymoon to Paris, Klimsch became acquainted with Auguste Rodin’s work which greatly influenced him, with its liveliness of expression and form. He regarded his fellow countryman, Adolf von Hildebrand as second only to Rodin as the inspiration behind his art.
Working mainly in sculpted Female figures from mythology, his reputation continued to grow and he was appointed professor in the College of Fine Arts in Berlin, a post he held until 1934. With their classic lines and fine features, Klimsch’s sculptures were held in very high esteem in the era of National Socialism and he was a favourite with many prominent Nazi officials from the Third Reich who commissioned high profile pieces from him.
After an Allied bombardment partially destroyed his Berlin studio, he moved to Salzburg and continued his work on various monument projects. However, when the American troops entered Salzburg, they plundered his new studio and thrashed most of his work.
After the war, Klimsch settled in the Black Forest to live in seclusion, producing from then on only a few works in small formats. Shortly before his death in 1960, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit.
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