668 - Franz Iffland, “Snake Dancer”, bronze sculpture in a rare two-tone finish

Franz Iffland, “Snake Dancer”, bronze sculpture in a rare two-tone finish Franz Carl Wilhelm Ernst Iffland, 1862 in Tempelhof - 1933 in Berlin, German sculptor and painter; shown here: Height of a young snake dancer, bronze sculpture with a brown (body) and gold (snake) patina, 24 cm high, on a moulded marble plinth, 36 cm high, signed on the plinth About the artist: Franz Iffland studied at the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts, later becoming a professor of sculpture there. From 1886 onwards, he regularly took part in the exhibitions of the Royal Academy of Arts and the Great Berlin Art Exhibition. Stylistically, Iffland’s work can be divided into two distinct groups based on his motifs: during his Art Nouveau period, he focused heavily on figures of children, mythological depictions (e.g. Young Bacchus) and delicate portrait busts of young women; later, his style shifted towards depictions of labourers (e.g. The Sower or The Blacksmith) and female nudes, often in athletic, dancing or dynamic poses. His depictions of wild animals, such as *Fighting Bison*, are also popular. All his works are characterised by flowing movements, clean lines and masterful patination.