Inspired by the Dutch sculptor Joseph Mendes da Costa (1863–1939) and Ernst Barlach (1870–1938), Hans Wewerka (1888–1915) conquered the realm of figurative sculpture while he was still a student in Höhr, an unusual discipline among the area’s vernacular ceramics. He observed society outside [draußen in German], in all realms of public life, with great sensibility: gossip mongers, potato sellers, a dancing couple. Wewerka created likenesses taken from real life. His artistic approach and his acute awareness of form made him an exceptional creator of modern earthenware who had already gained international recognition during his lifetime. This first, comprehensive monograph featuring a catalogue of works documents Hans Wewerka’s previously unknown career and traces his connections to modernist art, such as the Berlin Secession and artists like Rudolf Bosselt, Käthe Kollwitz, and Ernst Barlach.


Text in English and German.