Lot 531 D

An essential element of his epitaphs are the compositions reduced to round bars and spherical elements epitomising a human body and with which the sculptor finds an iconic motif of his oeuvre.
'From the late 70s onwards, Koenig applies himself ever more passionately to the task of sculpurally updating the traditional genre of the epitaph - whereby he feels entitled to a very liberal interpretation of the term epitaph. […] Characteristic for these works of varying formats, is the combination of highly restricted volumes with abbreviations for the human body comprised of round bars and spheres or cylindrical elements. These elements taken from blacksmiths' and metalworkers' equipment are in themselves homogenous. The rods are smoothly cut-to-length and added without a break, where one would expect inflexions there are merely abrupt joints. What appears unassuming as known from pictograms, turns out to be extremely expressive in Koenig's works.' (Peter Anselm Riedel, Einführung, in: Dietrich Clarenbach (ed.), Fritz Koenig, Skulpturen, Werkverzeichnis, Munich 2003, p.20/21).