Sculptor. He was born in Elberfeld, Germany. He became a sculptor after viewing Rodin's 'Age of Bronze' in the Düsseldorf Museum. From 1927 to 1934 he lived in Paris, where he knew Jean Cocteau, Ernest Hemingway, Man Ray, Jean Renoir and Alexander Calder. His sculptures of this period include "Aurora," "Sitting Man," "Torso of David," "Man with Flexed Forearms," and "Nude with Crossed Legs." In 1935 he returned to Germany and created works for the Nazi regime. He won a silver medal in the sculpture competition at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin for his figures entitled "Der Zehnkämpfer" ("Decathlete") and "Die Siegerin" ("Victory"). Also he created the sculptures and reliefs for the New Chancellery and "Flight of Icarus" and "Comradeship" for the Arch of Triumph in Berlin. In 1942 he had an exhibition in the Occupied France. In 1948 Breker was classified a "fellow traveler" by an Allied de-Nazification tribunal and moved to Dusseldorf. He continued his work with pieces such as "The Adoration of the Three Holy Kings," "Bust of Jean Cocteau," "Bust of Liszt," "Bust of Dalí," "Girl with Scarf," "Prometheus," "Bust of Cosima Wagner," "Portrait of Jimmy Carter," the memorial "Heinrich Heine," "New Europe" and "The Call of Christ." Breker remains a controversial figure because he never expressed regret for collaborating with the Nazis.
Sculptor. He was born in Elberfeld, Germany. He became a sculptor after viewing Rodin's 'Age of Bronze' in the Düsseldorf Museum. From 1927 to 1934 he lived in Paris, where he knew Jean Cocteau, Ernest Hemingway, Man Ray, Jean Renoir and Alexander Calder. His sculptures of this period include "Aurora," "Sitting Man," "Torso of David," "Man with Flexed Forearms," and "Nude with Crossed Legs." In 1935 he returned to Germany and created works for the Nazi regime. He won a silver medal in the sculpture competition at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin for his figures entitled "Der Zehnkämpfer" ("Decathlete") and "Die Siegerin" ("Victory"). Also he created the sculptures and reliefs for the New Chancellery and "Flight of Icarus" and "Comradeship" for the Arch of Triumph in Berlin. In 1942 he had an exhibition in the Occupied France. In 1948 Breker was classified a "fellow traveler" by an Allied de-Nazification tribunal and moved to Dusseldorf. He continued his work with pieces such as "The Adoration of the Three Holy Kings," "Bust of Jean Cocteau," "Bust of Liszt," "Bust of Dalí," "Girl with Scarf," "Prometheus," "Bust of Cosima Wagner," "Portrait of Jimmy Carter," the memorial "Heinrich Heine," "New Europe" and "The Call of Christ." Breker remains a controversial figure because he never expressed regret for collaborating with the Nazis.
Bio by: José L Bernabé Tronchoni
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