Helmut Kohl: Break through the Wall
Artist: Erwin Eisch (German, 1927 - 2022)
Date: 1998 (design of mold 1989)
Dimensions:
H: 19 ¾ in. (50.2 cm); W (Head, frontal): 9 ¼ in. (35 cm); W (head, profile): 11 ¼ in. (28.57 cm)
Medium: Colorless glass, mold-blown, tooled, blown; painted with unfired enamels.
Place of Origin: Glashütte Valentin Eisch, Frauenau, Germany
Classification: Glass
Credit Line: Gift of the artist
Object number: 2008.124
DescriptionThe hollow sculpture is blown of colorless glass in a two-part mold forming the head and neck of the portrait. The mold seam remains visible as a relief line separating the front and back of the head. Once the molded glass shape is removed from the form, a large blob of molten glass is added to the top of the head and quickly blown out to a bubble, which is then opened up, its edge folded under to thicken the rim, and tooled to form a crown with points. Once cooled, the head's square base rim is ground flat. The head and crown of the sculpture is finally painted overall with noticeable brush strokes in blue (crown) and black enamel paint (head). A white dove symbolizing peace is emblazoned on the front of the crown. A section of stylized brick wall representing the Berlin Wall is painted across the front of the face. The wall is fractured by a large gap in the center, marked with the words 'Break through the Wall" surrounded by an angular outline. On the lower left of the face a female figure painted in gold and outlined in red runs across a green meadow.
Not on view
In Collection(s)