Breker, Arno |
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BORN 19 Jul 1900, Elberfeld, Nordrhein-Westfalen (now: Wuppertal) - DIED 13 Feb 1991, Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen GRAVE LOCATION Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen: Nordfriedhof, Danziger Strasse (Feld 58) |
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Arno Breker was the son of a stonemason, Arnold Breker. He studied at the Academy of Arts in Düsseldorf under Hubert Netzer and Wilhelm Kreis. In 1924 he first visited Paris and there he met Cocteau, Renoir, Picasso and art dealer D.H. Kahnweiler. In 1927 he moved to Paris permanently. In 1932 he won a prize from the Prussian Ministry of Culture that enabled to stay in Rome for a year. In 1934 he returned to Germany. At this time some of his work was considered degenerate art by Alfred Rosenberg. But Adolf Hitler liked his work and from 1933 to 1942 he recieved commissions from the nazis. In 1937 he married the Greek model Demetra Messala. He joined the NSDAP and Hitler made him official state sculptor. He was a professor of Visual Arts in Berlin until the end of the nazi era. Most of his work was destroyed by the allies after the war. In 1946 Stalin offered him a commission but he stated that one dictatorship had been sufficient for him. As a result of the denazification process he was designated as a 'fellow traveller' of the nazis and he returned to Düsseldorf in 1948. There he stayed, also living in Paris for periods. He worked as an architect but also continued his work as a sculptor. In 1955 Demetra died in a car accident and in 1958 he married Charlotte Kluge, with whom he had two children. There was some controversy when his work was exhibited at the Centre Pompidou in 1981. In 1985 an Arno Breker museum was opened in Schloss Nörvenich. Family • Wife: Messala, Demetra (1937-1955) Related persons • made a sculpture of Georg, Prinz von Bayern • was a friend of Liebermann, Max • was a friend of Man Ray • used as a model Messala, Demetra • designed grave monument of Rohrbach, Adolf • has a connection with Rohrbach, Charlotte • made a sculpture of Speer, Albert • made a sculpture of Wagner, Cosima • made a sculpture of Wagner, Richard |
| Images | ||
 Sculpture by Arno Breker at the grave of Adolf Rohrbach at the Südwestfriedhof, Stahnsdorf, Berlin. Picture by Androom (10 Apr 2003) |
 "Aurora" by Arno Breker at the Ehrenhof in Düsseldorf. Picture by Androom (06 Nov 2005) |
 Richard Wagner statue by Arno Breker near the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth. Picture by Androom (02 Mar 2009) |
 Cosima Wagner statue by Arnold Breker near the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth. Picture by Androom (02 Mar 2009) |
 The grave of Arno Breker at the Nordfriedhof, Düsseldorf. Picture by Androom (17 Jul 2015) |
 The grave of Arno Breker at the Nordfriedhof, Düsseldorf. Picture by Androom (17 Jul 2015) |
