ABSTRACT This thesis has two disparate but converging aims. It seeks primarily to analyse the relationship between avant-garde artistic strategies and the political nature of the support received by their exponents in early twentieth-century Germany. Its secondary aim is to investigate and highlight the oeuvre and career of the Russian sculptor, decorative and graphic artist, Moïssy Kogan, who is at present little known to British scholarship. A central tenet of the argument here presented is that, paradoxically, radical art production was very often purchased and promoted by individuals of an ultra-conservative persuasion. The discourse is constructed around the exemplary support of Kogan, a Jew by birth, by the radically conservative, nationalist private museum owner and tireless supporter of modern European avant-garde art, Karl Ernst Osthaus. In an attempt to approach an understanding of this situation, an analysis is conducted of the degree to which commonality of thought and purpose existed between the two men. To this end, stress is laid on an exploration of the aspirations of the Deutschen Werkbund, the associated Lebensreform movement and other ideological discourses of the period. The partial realisation of such ideals, as manifested in Osthaus's strategies as a patron of sculpture and architecture and in Kogan's working practices and his rhythm and dance-related iconography, is extensively treated. A chronology of works by Kogan has been compiled as a pre-requisite to an understanding of the artist's oeuvre. It is here presented, as an adjunct to the thesis, as are a chronology of his life and a listing of exhibitions in which his work has featured. 1 ______________________________________________________________________ ARTISTIC RADICALISM AND RADICAL CONSERVATISM: MOÏSSY KOGAN AND HIS GERMAN PATRONS, 1903 - 1928 Helen Shiner VOLUME ONE Dissertation submitted as part of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts in History of Art and Design University of Central England in Birmingham Institute of Art and Design Department of Art School of Theoretical & Historical Studies in Art and Design May 1997 ____________________________________________________________________________________ 2 LIST OF CONTENTS page VOLUME ONE List of Illustrations 4 Dedication 7 Acknowledgements 8 Introduction 9 Chapter One Moïssy Kogan and German Sculpture 22 Chapter Two Moïssy Kogan, his Dealers, Supporters and Patrons 48 Chapter Three Moïssy Kogan and Karl Ernst Osthaus 75 Chapter Four Lebensreform and the Dance 100 Chapter Five Reliefs for the 1914 Werkbund Exhibition 114 Conclusion 128 Bibliography 130 Illustrations 157 VOLUME TWO Appendices 3 1. Exhibitions of Kogan's Works 4 2. A Chronology of Kogan's Works 11 i) free-standing sculpture in bronze 12 ii) free-standing sculpture in terracotta, wood and other materials 29 iii) reliefs, plaquettes, masks, coins and medals 75 iv) applied art objects (vases, bowls, cut gems and textile work) 121 v) graphic works: etchings, woodcuts and linocuts 133 3 vi) drawings and lithographs 173 vii) gouache and watercolours 222 3. A Chronology of Kogan's Life 223 4 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PLATES 1. Das Goldene Zeitalter, c 1909, bronze triptych, 16 x 9 cm, 16 x 11 cm + 16 x 9 cm, Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich (R/97) 2. Primavera, 1909 or before, bronze relief, 17 x 26 cm, formerly Museum Folkwang Hagen (example in private collection) (reproduced in Otto Fischer, Das Neue Bild, Delphin-Verlag, Munich, 1912, plate XXVII) (R/104) 3. Kniende/Kniendes Mädchen, 1910, wood, 93 cm (without base), formerly Museum Folkwang Hagen/Essen, lost in 1937 or during Second World War (reproduced in Otto Fischer, Das Neue Bild, Delphin-Verlag, Munich, 1912, plate XXIX) (F-ST/5) 4. Stehende Figur, 1912 or before, terracotta, 9 cm; Stehende, 1912 or before, terracotta, 13.5 cm; Kniende, 1912 or before, terracotta, 9 cm and Kniende, 1912 or before, terracotta, 8 cm, all Staatliche Galerie Moritzburg Halle (photo: Klaus E Goltz) (examples of last two also in Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg) (F-ST/13, 14, 11 + 8) 5. Zwei Frauen, 1913, artificial stone, formerly Museum Folkwang Hagen/Essen, lost in Entartete Kunst confiscations, 1937 (reproduced in Max Sauerlandt. Ausgewählte Schriften. Band 2: Aufsätze und Referate, 1912 – 1933, ed. Heinz Spielmann, Verlag Hans Christians, Hamburg, 1974, ill. 28) (R/163) 6. Zwei stehende Akte, c 1910-11, bronze relief, 17 x 5 cm, Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich (R/112b) 7. Vase, ? 1912 or before, carved red clay, h 14.5 cm, Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Cologne (photo: Rheinisches Bildarchiv, Cologne) (AA/1) 8. Medaille der Neuen Künstlervereinigung Münchens, 1910, bronze, ∅ 2.9 cm, Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus (R/105) 9. Mädchen mit Blütenzweig, 1927, embroidery, 55.5 x 19 cm, Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Cologne (photo: Rheinisches Bildarchiv, Cologne) (AA/42) 10. Sitzendes Mädchen (Dreiviertelfigur), 1933, terracotta, h 17 cm, Museum Ludwig, Cologne (photo: Rheinisches Bildarchiv, Cologne) (F-ST/95) 11. Zwei Tänzende, ? c 1919-22, woodcut on handmade paper, 32.8 x 22.7 cm on 41.4 x 31.4 cm, Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum Duisburg (examples also held in other museums) (GW/85) 12. Tanzscene vor Tempel, ? 1919-22, etching, 16.3 x 14.7 cm, Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich (GW/20) 13. Frauentorso, 1927, bronze, h 35.5 cm, Museum Ludwig, Cologne (example also in Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg) (photo: Rheinisches Bildarchiv, Cologne) (F-SB/14) 5 14. Sitzender Frauenakt, late 1920s/early 1930s, terracotta, 24 cm, Haags Gemeentemuseum, The Hague (F-ST/54) 15. Relief, 1922 or before, terracotta, dimensions unknown, formerly Georg Reinhart collection (reproduced in Der Querschnitt, 1922, p 187 and 1925, opp p 953) (R/175) 16. Title page of Alfred Richard Meyer, Charlotte Bara, 1921 featuring Moïssy Kogan, Tanzende Frau, ? 1919-1921, linocut, dimensions unknown (GW/83) 17. Charlotte Bara, 1919-1921, woodcut, dimensions unknown (reproduced in Alfred Richard Meyer, Charlotte Bara, 1921) (GW/82) 18. Hockender Akt/Erwartung, ? c 1919-22, linocut, 35.2 x 24.5 cm on 40 x 28 cm, Pinacoteca Casa Rusca, Locarno (Nesto Jacometti bequest) (example also in Landesmuseum Oldenburg) (GW/86) 19. Dance of Labanschule (reproduced in Hans Brandenburg, Der Moderne Tanz, Georg Müller, Munich, 1921) 20. Mary Wigman (reproduced in Hans Brandenburg, Der Moderne Tanz, Georg Müller, Munich, 1921) 21. Tänzerin, ? c 1919-21, ? woodcut/linocut, 31.5 x 13.2 cm, Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus (example also in Clemens-Sels Museum, Neuß) (GW/84) 22. Emil Nolde, Fliese mit der Darstellung zweier exotischer Tänzerinnen, 1913, glazed ceramic, 26.5 x 20.7 cm, Staatliche Galerie Moritzburg Halle 23. Charlotte Bara performing Die versunkene Kathedrale (reproduced in Alfred Richard Meyer, Charlotte Bara, 1921) 24. Alexander Sacharoff (reproduced in Hans Brandenburg, Der Moderne Tanz, Georg Müller, Munich, 1921) 25. Walter Gropius & Adolf Meyer, Model Factory for the Werkbund Exhibition in Cologne, view of whole complex, 1914 (Bauhaus-Archiv, Berlin, photo: Bayer & Schmölz) 26. Reliefs, 1913-14, artificial stone, c 200 x 218 cm, sited in Vorraum at entrance to lift, ground floor of Gropius & Meyer's office building, model factory complex for Werkbund Exhibition, Cologne, lost, presumed destroyed 1919 (photo: Bauhaus-Archiv, Berlin) (part of R/167) 27. Reliefs, 1913-14, artificial stone, c 200 x 218 cm, sited in Vorraum at entrance to lift, ground floor of Gropius & Meyer's office building, model factory complex for Werkbund Exhibition, Cologne, lost, presumed destroyed 1919 (photo: Bauhaus-Archiv, Berlin) (part of R/167) 28. Office building façade with fountain by Georg Kolbe, Walter Gropius & Adolf Meyer, Model Factory for the Werkbund Exhibition in Cologne, 1914 (photo: Bauhaus-Archiv, Berlin) 29. Deutz-Pavillon with sculpture by Hermann Haller, Walter Gropius & Adolf Meyer, Model Factory for the Werkbund Exhibition in Cologne, 1914 (photo: Bauhaus-Archiv, Berlin) 6 30. Reliefs, 1913-14, artificial stone, c 200 x 218 cm, sited in Vorraum at entrance to lift, ground floor of Gropius & Meyer's office building, model factory complex for Werkbund Exhibition, Cologne, lost, presumed destroyed 1919 (photo: Bauhaus-Archiv, Berlin) (part of R/167) 31. Walter Gropius & Adolf Meyer, Model Factory for the Werkbund Exhibition in Cologne, side view of office building, 1914 (photo: Bauhaus-Archiv, Berlin) 32. Gerhard Marcks, Arbeitende Männer, relief, 1914, artificial stone, 250 x 300 cm, entrance to office building, Walter Gropius & Adolf Meyer, Model Factory for the Werkbund Exhibition in Cologne, 1914 (photo: Bauhaus-Archiv, Berlin) 33. Richard Scheibe, relief, 1914, artificial stone, 250 x 300 cm, entrance to office building, Walter Gropius & Adolf Meyer, Model Factory for the Werkbund Exhibition in Cologne, 1914 (photo: Bauhaus-Archiv, Berlin) 34. Otto Hettner, mural, dimensions unknown, roof garden of Walter Gropius & Adolf Meyer, Model Factory for the Werkbund Exhibition in Cologne, 1914, presumed destroyed (photo: Bauhaus- Archiv, Berlin) 35. Otto Hettner, mural, dimensions unknown, roof garden of Walter Gropius & Adolf Meyer, Model Factory for the Werkbund Exhibition in Cologne, 1914, presumed destroyed (photo: Bauhaus- Archiv, Berlin) 7 For my parents, Jean and Colin Shiner, with love. 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude, first of all, to Herrn Manfred Osthaus, who was generous enough to give me access to unpublished letters in his possession concerning Moïssy Kogan.