Karl Albiker

Alfred Flechtheim and Karl Albiker

Karl Albiker was one of the best-known sculptors of his time in the German-speaking world. After starting to study in Karlsruhe in 1898 he spent a few months in summer 1900 studying in Paris under Auguste Rodin, who was to have a lasting influence on him. After finishing his studies in Munich Albiker went to Rome from 1903–05. In 1910 he was awarded the Villa Romana Prize which involved spending a year in Florence. Many references in his work can be found to Antiquity and the Italian Renaissance. The sculptor’s principal subjects are the human body and Classical mythology which he drew on for individual figures and small sculptures as well as reliefs and monumental works. The focus of his theoretical work is on the question of materiality and its role in depicting movement. Albiker received an increasing number of commissions from 1918 onwards. In 1919-45 he held a professorship at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Dresden. He was also a member of various artist groups, for example the Neue Münchener Secession.

Albiker’s work, especially his monumental sculptures, found official recognition from 1933 onwards from the National Socialists. He designed the sculptures "Diskuswerfer" and "Stafettenläufer" for the Olympic site (Reichssportfeld) in Berlin in 1936. From 1937, he only received a few public commissions. After World War II Albiker withdrew to his studio in Ettlingen.

Albiker participated in group exhibitions at the Galerie Flechtheim in 1927 and 1930, in both Berlin and Düsseldorf. Three of his bronze sculptures were included in the exhibition "Das Problem der Generation. Die um 1880 geborenen Meister von heute I. Teil: Die Deutschen" in summer 1927, for example, and two – "Aufsteigende Nacht and Giovanetto" – were illustrated in the June issue of Flechtheim’s magazine "Der Querschnitt" in 1926.