Lot 280 Dα

Alexander von Humboldt (1769 - 1859) can certainly be considered the most famous German naturalist, geographer and explorer of the 19th century. He was involved in botany, zoology, mining and created the foundations for modern meteorology.
At the time this statuette was executed, in 1857, he was already 78 years old. The Prussian parliament had just approved a law against slavery, a topical issue shortly before the American Civil War, and an issue to which Humboldt had been very committed. At the same time, however, he suffered a stroke and had to resign from his position as chamberlain to Frederick William IV.

No other version of this model in bronze or zinc is known. The zinc version has not yet been included in the literature as it was unknown. An example in porcelain with a different plinth shape (height 30.5 cm), which is kept at the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg, has been published several times (Cat. Bildnisstatuetten des Klassizismus und der Gegenwart. Potsdam, Römische Bäder 1972, no. 3 as a work by Gustav Blaeser; cat. Statuettes of Berlin Classicism, Berlin, Altes Museum 1984, no. 2 as the work of Gustav Blaeser; Essers, Johann Friedrich Drake, Munich 1976, p. 98, no. 27, fig. 159). A further porcelain example, which was probably created in Ernst March's pottery factory, belongs to the collection of the Stadtmuseum Berlin. The figure was donated to the Märkisches Museum by Dr Helene March in 1942. The Stadtmuseum also has a version made of plaster (height 41.5 cm), which is identical in design to the zinc figure and is dated 1858 (Brehm/Ernsting/Gottschalk/Kuhn, Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin. Katalog der Bildwerke 1780-1920, Cologne 2003, p. 107, nos. 81, 82). In 1858, the model was shown at the Academy Exhibition as a work by Ludwig Drake.