Anonymous, Heroic Worker Lifting a Boulder
, c. 1930. Green patinated zinc cast with natural stone mounted on a reddish marble base. Dimensions of the base: 4.5 cm (height) x 74.5 cm (length) x 20 cm (depth). Dimensions of the sculpture: 32 cm (height) x 67 cm (length) x 20 cm (depth). Total weight: 18 kg.
- Loss of patina to the top of the head, somewhat rubbed in places, otherwise in excellent condition.
- Modern Hero -
In ancient heroic nudity, the worker struggles with all his strength against a huge stone. With his spear-like pole, he looks like an athlete whose efforts are fueled by an irrefutable will to win. The worker does not use a machine, but only his physical strength, transmitted by a rudimentary tool.
The artist transfers the depiction of antique athletes that emerged with the reintroduction of the Olympic Games in 1896 to the figure of the worker. If the athlete proves himself in the context of a temporary competition, work is a never-ending lifelong task that the young man tackles with determination. He is an athlete of work without receiving any medals for it. It is precisely this daily, sweat-inducing exertion of physical labor that is honored here in an allegorical way. Progress, which is ultimately driven by the strength of the worker, makes the worker a modern hero.
