Rudolf Belling (1886-1972) ventured into abstraction in the early 1920s and is considered a pioneer of modern sculpture. Belling described his work as a “synthesis of sculpture and space” and was honoured with a solo exhibition at the Nationalgalerie Berlin in the Kronprinzenpalais in 1924. Ludwig Justi acquired a wooden version of the “Dreiklang”. In 1933 he was banned from working by the National Socialists and his works were removed from public collections. In 1937 Belling emigrated to Turkey. In memory of his main work, he created “Skulptur 49, In memoriam Dreiklang”, which is shown in the current exhibition. 1966 Return to Germany.

In 1930, Hermann Blumenthal (1905-1942) was awarded the “Great State Prize for Sculpture of the Prussian Academy of Arts” as a master student of Edwin Scharff, which was linked to a study visit to the Villa Massimo in Rome. In 1932 he moved into his first studio in Nowawes near Potsdam. The Folkwang Museum acquired a sculpture, as did the Berlin National Gallery in 1936. Later Blumenthal belonged to the studio community Klosterstraße with Käthe Kollwitz, Werner Heldt and Ludwig Kasper. In 1936/37 further study visits in Rome and Florence followed, which meant an inspiring and creative time for Blumenthal. In 1942, Blumenthal was killed in Russia at the age of thirty-six.