Lot 2124 Rα

The Cassirer auction catalogue of 1925 states that the present drawing in sanguine originates from the estate of the sculptor Arthur Volkmann. Hans von Marées and Arthur Volkmann met in Rome in the autumn of 1876. A deep friendship developed between the two artists that lasted until Hans von Marées' death. Volkmann designed the tomb for his friend in 1887, which can still be seen today in the Protestant cemetery in Rome.
In 1876, Volkmann collaborated with Marées in the design of a life-size sculpture of Bacchus. In the course of this artistic exchange, Marées executed several drawings showing a standing Bacchus. Two are housed in the Von der Heydt-Museum in Wuppertal, one in the Nationalgalerie Berlin, and one each in the graphic collections of Munich and Basel. At least three are also in private ownership, including this sheet.