Sculpture “Small Bird of Prey” by Paul Wunderlich, cast metal

Paul Wunderlich is considered one of the most influential artists of the modern era. His works were confiscated as "obscene" in 1960, but just three years later he was appointed professor at the Academy of Fine Arts. With awards such as the Edwin Scharff Prize and his admission to the Paris Académie des Beaux-Arts, he achieved international acclaim. Born in Eberswalde in 1927, Wunderlich studied graphic design and quickly became a drawing instructor at his alma mater. Influential encounters with artists such as Emil Nolde and Oskar Kokoschka shaped his distinctive style, which combines Mannerist and Surrealist elements. His themes initially encompassed German history before he increasingly turned to erotic motifs, which accompanied him until his prosecution by the public prosecutor's office in 1960. In the 1960s, he worked extensively with photographs by Karin Székessy and increasingly devoted himself to sculptural representations of everyday objects. Paul Wunderlich lived and worked alternately in Hamburg and France until his death in June 2010.