Initially met with less than enthusiastic reactions from the people of Freiburg, the Reclining Figure now stands as a testament to the evolving tastes and perspectives. This sculpture invites us to reflect on art and public perception.
The Reclining Figure, also known as the Emmental Venus, was erected in 1961 on what is now the old synagogue plaza. The people of Freiburg did not immediately embrace their new reclining citizen. Many letters of displeasure were sent to the Badische Zeitung newspaper and the university.
The state acquired this two-meter-long and almost two-ton bronze casting. It was a design from 1953 intended as art in architecture for the university’s new college building. The Reclining Figure sculpture’s presence sparked considerable debate and discussion.
One of the more amiable nicknames given to the Reclining Figure at the time was the Emmental Venus. This playful moniker reflects the initial public sentiment. Some viewed the sculpture with amusement rather than appreciation.
The Reclining Figure sculpture’s international status is underlined by its participation in exhibitions by the Henry Moore Foundation. It has been twice to Perry Green in England where the artist once lived. These journeys highlight the sculpture’s significance in the art world.
For each of its journeys across the English Channel, the Reclining Figure is insured for 1.5 million euros. This is a considerable increase in value compared to the original purchase price of 30000 Deutschmarks. The insurance sum speaks volumes about its current worth and importance.
Henry Moore, a dominant theme in whose works was the human figure in repose, began sculpting reclining bodies in 1929, inspired by pre-Columbian chacmool sculptures. Those sculptures depicted Yucatan rain deities. Moore was also inspired by sculptures from the east pediment of the Parthenon. They show Zeus giving birth to Athena through his head.
Moore’s reclining figures similarly connote gods and goddesses of nature, rivers, and seasons. They represent the earth and its elements. Even Moore’s figurative work however tends toward abstraction.
Moore’s desire for his sculptures to mimic the natural environment played into his experiments with space. During the 1960s, he began to break his sculptures of reclining figures into segments and pierce them with holes to reveal internal forms and frustrate a sense of cohesion. He encouraged the viewer to walk around the work to understand its full articulation.
Standing before the Reclining Figure today, we see not just a sculpture, but a symbol of Freiburg’s evolving relationship with art. Its journey from public criticism to international acclaim is a story etched in bronze. The Reclining Figure invites us to contemplate the beauty and complexity of artistic expression and public reception.