Lot 92

Otto Gutfreund (1889 - 1927) A FIREPLACE

The rare fireplace designed by Otto Gutfreund features two reliefs, allegories of the four seasons. While in the left front two girls personify Spring and Summer, the right cachel represents Autumn and Winter. The design for the sculptural decoration of the fireplace was created for the company L. and C. Hardmuth. The figures in relief, as if suspended from a still background without any indication of terrain, are a typical example of Gutfreund's new creative sculptural solutions from his late period. His work of the last seven years 1921-1927 is very rich. At that time, the acclaimed and successful artist was invited by architects to collaborate: he was entrusted with the design of monuments as well as works for interior decoration. In 1926 he was appointed professor of sculpture at the School of Applied Arts in Prague. Otto Gutfreund, the founding figure of Czech modern sculpture, whose work still enjoys undying collector interest, is one of our most important sculptors of world renown. References: The model of the fireplace and the separate reliefs are reproduced under numbers 362, 363 and 364 in the inventory catalogue. GUTFREUND, Otto. Otto Gutfreund: [exhibition catalogue] : National Gallery in Prague, Collection of Modern Art, Trade Fair Palace : 14.12.1995 - 14.4.1996. Prague: National Gallery, 1996.