Lot 314 D

Georg Kolbe already used the title "Capriccio" for a small figure of a woman in intense motion made in 1921. The present work in bronze is also named "Capriccio H.W.", the initials referring to a woman who must have been Kolbe's favourite model in 1926. She also modelled for "Badende" (Berger 95), "Schreitende" (Berger 96) and "Klagende" (Berger 97), but nothing is known of her identity. All of these figures are characterised by the highly expressive body language. The torso of the Capriccio figure is twisted, the shoulders pulled forward and the arms crossed. The bent legs and the feet with the clenched toes emphasize the body's muscle tension, but the pose still doesn't appear cramped. The complex composition of this work and of the other figures mentioned make it seem as if the artist created figure studies of an expressive dance. Even the model's hair has been captured in the receding motion caused by the tossed head. The lively and carefree nature of Kolbe's bronzes of this period later changed to a more static approach.