Franz von Stuck (German, 1863-1928)

Athlete was Franz Stuck's first bronze sculpture, and together with Amazone (lot 53) is probably his best known. The artist was only 28 years old when he created this idealised athlete, lifting up a heavy ball to head height. Stuck produced numerous sketches and anatomical studies for this work, along with a series of photographs in order to portray the effort involved in lifting up the ball with such exactitude.
This sculpture appears to have held a great importance for the artist, and in the numerous photographs of the Villa Stuck casts of Athlete can often be seen in prominent positions. The sculpture is also depicted in the large-scale double portrait Franz and Mary Stuck in the studio, of 1892 (private collection).