Animal sculpture “pair of donkeys” by Kurt Arentz, reduced to bronze

Kurt Arentz's (1934-2014) renown as a sculptor rests on two pillars: his portraits of famous personalities and his animal sculptures brought him international fame. In both subjects, the artist went beyond the mere "portrait." While sculpting his subjects freehand, Arentz was not solely seeking a realistic representation, but rather a character portrayal—in both humans and animals. The concept of "likeness" is therefore not merely anatomical, even though Arentz mastered this task like few others. And just as many of his subjects confirmed to the artist that they recognized their "inner being" in a bust he created, so too did the artist aim for the character of his animal figures. His young pair of donkeys, for example, is not only an impressively precise depiction of the foals, capturing their anatomy and movement with remarkable accuracy, but also a portrayal of their playfulness and carefree joie de vivre. They too, just like the people portrayed by Arentz, are "personalities" and recognizable as such. With this sensitive and heartwarming character study, he creates a loving monument to the sociable, loyal companion.