Bruno Kruse (1855-1906) Bronze relief 'Die Lotusblume'

About this piece

Rare bronze relief work of Bruno Kruse.

A nymph is waiting with bowed head, for the sun's splendour, she dreamingly awaits the night.
The relief illustrates the poem by Heinrich Heine, he wrote this poem in 1822/23 and is published in "Buch der Lieder" in 1827.
It was put to music by Robert Schumann in 1840, 'Myrthen' cycle, opus 25, no. 7 ' .

The poem:

Die Lotusblume

'Die Lotusblume ängstigt
Sich vor der Sonne pracht,
Und mit gesenktem Haupte
Erwartet sie träumend die Nacht.

Der Mond, der ist ihr Buhle,
Er weckt sie mit seinem Licht,
Und ihm entschleiert sie freundlich
Ihr frommes Blumengesicht.

Sie blüht und glüht und leuchtet,
Und starret stumm in die Höh;
Sie duftet und weinet und zittert
Vor Liebe und Liebesweh.'

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The Lotus flower fears
for the sun's splendour,
and with drooping head
she dreamily awaits the night.

The moon, he is her lover.
He wakes her with his light
and to him she happily unveils
her devoted flower-face.

She blooms and glows and shines
and stares mute in the heavens.
She exhales and weeps and trembles
with love and love's pain.

Heine's poem is the tenth text in the cycle 'Lyrical Intermezzo'. The lotus flower is traditionally a symbol of the earth and suffers under the glow of the sun and breathes in the cool of the night. If lovers are the earth and the moon unreachable for each other.

On this rare Jugendstil bronze with such a fine embossment, is partially engraved, the first verse of the poem, some words are covered by the leaves. The relief is signed on the right; "B. Kruse, Fecit". The quality of work is high, museum quality, and was only made in a small edition.

Biography:
Bruno Friedrich Emil Kruse (Berlin 1855 - Chicago, 1906), was one of the famous imperial sculptors, a sculptor of the emperor. His oeuvre consists of many monuments, busts and public buildings. He also made portraits of the Prussian nobility. In addition, Kruse was also a medallist. He was a student of John. Schilling .

Literature:
- Thieme, Becker: "Allgemeines Lexikon der Bildener Künstler". Leipzig 2008.
- Heinrich Heine "Buch der Lieder", first edition is edited in 1827.

Condition

Good, part of the text is probably engraved again.