| Three Dancing Maidens | |
|---|---|
| Artist | Walter Schott |
| Year | 1909 (116 years ago) (1909) |
| Medium | Bronze sculpture |
| Location | Mecklenburg, Germany New York City, United States Antwerp, Belgium |
Three Dancing Maidens (German:Drei tanzende Mädchen) is anymph fountain (Nymphenbrunnen) sculpture byWalter Schott. There are three full-size versions orcastings of the bronze sculpture. One is known as theUntermyer Fountain inCentral Park inNew York City, the second is inAntwerp’s Den Brandt Park, and the third is in the courtyard of the Burg Schlitz Hotel, a grand hotel in theMecklenburg region of northern Germany. Identification of the original sculpture created forRudolf Mosse in 1909, and laterlooted by the Nazi Party is the subject of research, which appears to be leading to the version in the Burg Schlitz castle.[1] Three-quarter-scale castings, likely to be examples of the sculptor's early drafts, can be found in Germany, Austria, and Northern California.
The bronze sculpture features three life-size young women dancing in a circle, their dresses wet and clinging to their bodies.[2] The girls have their fingers intertwined and gleeful expressions on their faces.[1] Dianne Durante, author ofOutdoor Monuments of Manhattan, wrote that "it radiates delight, in a way few sculptures match, and there isn’t any point of view that doesn’t reveal some new, graceful aspect".[3]
Schott began the creation ofThree Dancing Maidens towards the end of the 19th century, using girls from the local Berlin area as models. After numerous sketches, he made a model at a three-quarter-scale followed by 36 more attempts. Despite all the work, he was unhappy with the project until he metRudolf Mosse. Mosse, a wealthy and influential newspaper magnate in Berlin, spoke with Schott about his desire to have a fountain on the grounds of his residence onLeipziger Platz. TheMosse Palais [de] was already home to a large collection of art and Mosse hoped to have a decorative fountain placed in the courtyard. The conversation inspired Schott who, as a perfectionist, worked on the design for several more years. The piece was finally installed in the early 1900s.[1]
There are three known full-size castings of the finished sculpture and several three-quarter-scale castings have also been found.[1][4] Two additional full-size copies were cast in 2003.
When Rudolf Mosse died in 1920 his estate passed onto his daughter Felicia and her husbandHans Lachmann-Mosse, including the newspaperBerliner Tageblatt. The rise to power of theNazi Party meant that a Jewish-run media empire was not viewed favourably. In 1933, Nazi officerWilhelm Ohst [de] arrived at the Mosse Palais and announced the imminent auction of all the artwork, including the fountain. The family fled, and the building was turned intoHans Frank'sAcademy for German Law. A photograph taken in 1940 shows the courtyard with a stone lion replacing Schott's sculpture.[1]
Many pieces ofart stolen by the Nazi Party have been returned to their original owners, while others have been lost. Wally Mersereau, a wealthy investor fromNorthern California, enjoyed spending time as an amateur researcher. Around the early 2010s, Mersereau visited New York City, and a walk in theConservatory Garden inCentral Park drew his attention to theUntermyer Fountain. (40°47′39.4″N73°57′7.0″W / 40.794278°N 73.951944°W /40.794278; -73.951944) The plaque showed that the fountain was dedicated toSamuel Untermyer and his wife Minnie. With help from translated excerpts from Schott's memoirs Mersereau was able to track down six versions ofThree Dancing Maidens including the original, two full-size casts, and three three-quarters scale versions, plus two more recent full-size reproductions.[1] TheUntermyer Fountain is one of the full size casts which was donated to the park by the children of Samuel Untermyer in 1947, having originally stood at hisGreystone estate inYonkers, New York.[2] Mersereau made it his personal mission to find every copy of the sculpture that existed, travelling the globe to view each one. He found two other full-size versions: one inDen Brandt Park [nl],Antwerp, (51°10′59.3″N4°24′22.9″E / 51.183139°N 4.406361°E /51.183139; 4.406361) and the other in the courtyard of theBurg Schlitz [de], a hotel inMecklenburg, Germany. (53°42′1.5″N12°32′27.5″E / 53.700417°N 12.540972°E /53.700417; 12.540972) The one in Germany is believed to be the original but provenance is disputed. If investigations found which one was the original it may have to be returned to the Mosse family estate. The plinth on which the sculpture stands may also be the original but testing it requires permission of the owner, something he has not been keen to do.[1]
There are currently three of the three-quarters size versions known from the 36 originally cast. One is in the rear garden of theStauss Villa inBerlin-Dahlem.[5] Another, known as theWurlitzer Fountain, can be found in a park inBurlingame, California;[6] and another in a private park in theAustrian Alps.[1]
In 2003 two additional full-size copies were cast from molds taken from the Burg Schlitz version. One is on the grounds ofGondelsheim Castle [de] in southwestern Germany, and the other is outside theE.ON administration building inPotsdam.[4][7]
