332:
100:
313:
37:
324:
298:
288:
brought together a whole series of paintings and sculptural works by well-known GDR artists, including
Mattheuer's Step of the Century. A journalist judges: “The symbol of the exhibition, is a single bronze sculpture. Richly placed on the threshold between the two rooms, Wolfgang Mattheuer's Step of
152:
Wolfgang
Mattheuer's work includes paintings, works on paper, prints and, since 1970, sculptures and objects. The majority of his pictures are so-called recreational pictures and include still lifes, portraits and landscapes. The so-called problem images gained greater importance: In them, Mattheuer
223:
house, Mattheuer works on the sculptural realization of the figure, which was planned from the beginning. In 1984, the 2.5 m (8.2 ft) tall plaster model was completed - casts in iron and bronze followed and finally a 5 m (16 ft) tall example, which is now in the
383:
In
October 2017, the city council of Reichenbach in Vogtland decided to purchase the last unsold example (bronze, unpainted) and put it up publicly. The purchase price was €180,000 and was largely financed through donations. The installation took place in November 2020.
248:
and the collector Peter Ludwig each commissioned a bronze casting. The audience reacted with astonishment and a lot of sympathy to the work shown. The response was even greater a few years later when a bronze cast of the Step of the
Century was shown at the Xth and last
391:
of the House of
History Foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany. At the Bonn and Leipzig locations, 2.5 m (8.2 ft) tall bronze casts mark the entrance to the foundation's exhibition halls. At the end of the 1990s, Hermann Schäfer, then director of the
260:
Mattheuer said about his sculpture: "This nightmare figure, as the embodiment of absurdity, is 'that conflict between the longing mind and the disappointing world', it is '... homesickness for unity, this fragmented universe, and the contradiction that connects both'
153:
takes up mythological, biblical, contemporary and metaphorical motifs, combines them, expands their context and uses these images to create astute, sometimes cynical comments on current events. Well-known examples of this are his pictures of the fratricide of
180:(1981), this ominous figure appears for the first time in the painting's work: the body appears squat and deformed, the head is tucked in behind the torn chest and can hardly be seen. It consists only of the extremities - one arm, stretched out in the
184:, finds its counterweight in the red-marked leg stuck in the soldier's boot, the other, left arm is clenched into a communist fist, the right leg stomps forward, naked and sweeping. The following are pictures with the titles Nightmare (
265:) and which all too often erupts into aggression and destructiveness, as a centrifugal force that tears the individual apart. No attempt at self-discovery is successful anymore." Eduard Beaucamp, long-time feature writer for
196:
A bare leg, reaching wide. A boot leg, a black arm with a healing gesture shooting from the disembodied middle and a fist on the raised second arm turn four extremities into a racing figure. What is that? Helpless rage?
396:
in Bonn, won
Mattheuer over to the idea of making a 5 m (16 ft) tall bronze cast of the Step of the Century. The idea of setting it up in front of the Zeitgeschichtliches Forum building in
342:
The catalog raisonné of sculptures and objects includes two differently painted iron casts and four bronze casts. Of these, three are painted differently and one is unpainted. Their locations are:
257:. The figure was chosen as the most important work of art in the exhibition, especially because a political discourse was still conducted as an alternative through visual art and literature.
273:
artists in particular, writes: "This paradoxical metaphor of the century, an aggressive, fleeing end-time figure who has lost his body and his 'center' is a mocking, bitter
625:
651:
415:
acquired the work from
Wolfgang Mattheuer's estate. For some time it was placed in the courtyard of the House of Brandenburg-Prussian History in Potsdam
677:
172:
In the 1980s, Mattheuer was to develop what, in retrospect, was the most significant parable for his entire work, his own mythological figure – the
607:
475:
176:. In fact, this tearing apart figure is already present in its basic dialectical idea in Mattheuer's earliest pictures. In the painting
165:(Behind the Seven Mountains). Mattheuer repeatedly addresses man's split between good and evil, between “greatness and misery” (
748:
738:
523:
498:
327:
Century step, iron cast painted in the inner courtyard of the
Berliner Volksbank headquarters (QVB), Bundesallee 206, Berlin
365:
336:
460:
Peter
Romanus (1997). "Ostwind. FĂĽnf deutsche Maler aus der Sammlung Grundkreditbank". In Dieter Brusberg (ed.).
733:
103:
The same sculpture in its former location, the courtyard of the carriage stable (Kutschpferdestall) in
Potsdam
419:, before it found its current location in the courtyard of the Museum Barberini in Potsdam in June 2016.
540:
362:
Moritzburg Foundation – Art Museum of the State of Saxony-Anhalt, Halle an der Saale (bronze, painted)
270:
743:
376:
220:
576:
Eduard Beaucamp (2017). "Wolfgang Mattheuer. Bilder als Botschaft". In Stefanie Michels (ed.).
400:
could not be realized due to lack of space. The plan to install the sculpture in front of the
705:
316:
Iron cast at the old location in front of the GrundkreditBank (now Berliner Volksbank) in
8:
369:
349:
302:
132:
331:
469:
401:
124:
47:
519:
494:
236:
In 1985 the painted plaster version was publicly exhibited for the first time at the
198:
435:
225:
83:
678:""Jahrhundertschritt" im Museums Barberini in Potsdam: Zerrissen, um zu verbinden"
112:
24:
99:
412:
312:
241:
727:
346:
Berliner Volksbank, QVB headquarters, Bundesallee 206, Berlin (iron, painted)
245:
166:
154:
36:
281:
262:
202:
128:
206:
181:
323:
127:
in 1984. It is considered one of the most important works of art in the
280:
The message of the Step of the Century was also recognized in the then
161:
figures, those fleeing and falling, one of his best-known pictures is
491:
Wolfgang Mattheuer. Bilder als Botschaft. Werkverzeichnis der Gemälde
274:
388:
266:
397:
254:
136:
91:
87:
652:""Jahrhundertschritt" wird fest verankert auf dem Solbrigplatz"
317:
158:
120:
65:
591:
Andrea Hildenstock (1988-09-13). "Symbolik und Junge Wilde".
561:
Wolfgang Mattheuer (1997). Ursula Mattheuer-Neustädt (ed.).
514:
Wolfgang Mattheuer (2002). Ursula Mattheuer-Neustädt (ed.).
493:(in German). Leipzig: Edition Galerie Schwind. p. 249.
353:
306:
297:
289:
the Century from 1984 creates the leap from east to west."
580:(in German). Leipzig: Edition Galerie Schwind. p. 19.
408:
626:""Jahrhundertschritt": GrĂĽnes Licht fĂĽr Plastik-Ankauf"
608:"Was steckt hinter dem "Jahrhundertschritt" in Bonn?"
518:(in German). Faber und Faber Verlag. pp. 84–85.
436:"Wolfgang Mattheuer, Hinter den sieben Bergen (1973)"
590:
560:
513:
489:Stefanie Michels (2017). Stefanie Michels (ed.).
417:(Haus der brandenburgisch-preuĂźischen Geschichte)
359:Ludwiggalerie Oberhausen Castle (bronze, painted)
244:Art Exhibition). The State Gallery Moritzburg in
142:
725:
488:
575:
563:Bilder als Botschaft – Die Botschaft der Bilder
301:Step of the Century: iron cast in front of the
462:Zu Mattheuers Werkgruppe "Jahrhundertschritt"
459:
286:Zeitvergleich '88 - 13 Painters from the GDR'
192:, 1982). Mattheuer writes about this figure:
516:Bilder als Botschaft – Botschaft der Bilder
474:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
538:
605:
330:
322:
311:
296:
98:
726:
464:(in German). Berlin. pp. 151–156.
675:
649:
238:11. Leipziger Bezirkskunstausstellung
578:WeltbĂĽrger in einer giftigen Provinz
147:
139:of the turmoil of the 20th century.
13:
14:
760:
698:
387:The Step of the Century became a
366:Zeitgeschichtliches Forum Leipzig
337:Zeitgeschichtliches Forum Leipzig
35:
669:
643:
618:
606:Kliemann, Thomas (2022-07-28).
253:(art exhibition of the GDR) in
676:Radke, Johannes (2016-07-01).
599:
584:
569:
554:
532:
507:
482:
453:
428:
143:Description and interpretation
123:sculpture that was created by
1:
749:Outdoor sculptures in Germany
684:(in German). Tagesspiegel PNN
75:500 cm (200 in)
739:Bronze sculptures in Germany
541:"Das zerrissene Jahrhundert"
335:Bronze cast in front of the
292:
231:
7:
277:for modern dictatorships.”
10:
765:
650:Betka, Gerd (2020-11-24).
284:. In 1988, the exhibition
565:(in German). p. 124.
188:, 1982) and Lost Middle (
79:
71:
61:
53:
43:
34:
23:
18:
422:
251:Kunstausstellung der DDR
163:Hinter den sieben Bergen
712:(in German). 2004-04-07
682:Der Tagesspiegel Online
632:(in German). 2017-10-11
440:bild-atlas-ddr-kunst.de
411:founder and art patron
404:in Berlin also failed.
377:Reichenbach im Vogtland
19:The Step of the Century
710:Deutschlandfunk-Archiv
706:""Jahrhundertschritt""
612:General-Anzeiger, Bonn
339:
328:
320:
309:
217:
104:
29:Der Jahrhundertschritt
734:Public art in Germany
334:
326:
315:
300:
219:In the garden of his
194:
102:
593:Hamburger Abendblatt
269:and advocate of the
394:Haus der Geschichte
379:(bronze, unpainted)
372:, (bronze, painted)
370:Grimmaische Strasse
350:Haus der Geschichte
303:Haus der Geschichte
174:Step of the Century
133:division of Germany
131:at the time of the
109:Step of the Century
402:Reichstag building
340:
329:
321:
310:
214:Wolfgang Mattheuer
125:Wolfgang Mattheuer
117:Jahrhundertschritt
105:
48:Wolfgang Mattheuer
525:978-3-928660-85-3
500:978-3-932830-71-6
209:? Loss of center!
148:Motif development
97:
96:
756:
720:
718:
717:
693:
692:
690:
689:
673:
667:
666:
664:
663:
647:
641:
640:
638:
637:
622:
616:
615:
603:
597:
596:
588:
582:
581:
573:
567:
566:
558:
552:
551:
549:
548:
536:
530:
529:
511:
505:
504:
486:
480:
479:
473:
465:
457:
451:
450:
448:
447:
432:
226:Museum Barberini
215:
84:Museum Barberini
39:
16:
15:
764:
763:
759:
758:
757:
755:
754:
753:
744:1984 sculptures
724:
723:
715:
713:
704:
701:
696:
687:
685:
674:
670:
661:
659:
648:
644:
635:
633:
624:
623:
619:
604:
600:
589:
585:
574:
570:
559:
555:
546:
544:
539:Bernd Lindner.
537:
533:
526:
512:
508:
501:
487:
483:
467:
466:
458:
454:
445:
443:
434:
433:
429:
425:
356:(iron, painted)
295:
234:
216:
213:
190:Verlorene Mitte
150:
145:
12:
11:
5:
762:
752:
751:
746:
741:
736:
722:
721:
700:
699:External links
697:
695:
694:
668:
656:freiepresse.de
642:
630:freiepresse.de
617:
598:
583:
568:
553:
531:
524:
506:
499:
481:
452:
426:
424:
421:
413:Hasso Plattner
381:
380:
375:Solbrigplatz,
373:
363:
360:
357:
347:
294:
291:
271:Leipzig School
242:Bezirk Leipzig
233:
230:
211:
149:
146:
144:
141:
95:
94:
81:
77:
76:
73:
69:
68:
63:
59:
58:
55:
51:
50:
45:
41:
40:
32:
31:
21:
20:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
761:
750:
747:
745:
742:
740:
737:
735:
732:
731:
729:
711:
707:
703:
702:
683:
679:
672:
657:
653:
646:
631:
627:
621:
613:
609:
602:
594:
587:
579:
572:
564:
557:
542:
535:
527:
521:
517:
510:
502:
496:
492:
485:
477:
471:
463:
456:
441:
437:
431:
427:
420:
418:
414:
410:
405:
403:
399:
395:
390:
385:
378:
374:
371:
367:
364:
361:
358:
355:
351:
348:
345:
344:
343:
338:
333:
325:
319:
314:
308:
304:
299:
290:
287:
283:
278:
276:
272:
268:
264:
258:
256:
252:
247:
243:
239:
229:
227:
222:
210:
208:
204:
200:
193:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
170:
168:
167:Blaise Pascal
164:
160:
156:
155:Cain and Abel
140:
138:
134:
130:
126:
122:
118:
114:
110:
101:
93:
89:
85:
82:
78:
74:
70:
67:
64:
60:
56:
52:
49:
46:
42:
38:
33:
30:
26:
22:
17:
714:. Retrieved
709:
686:. Retrieved
681:
671:
660:. Retrieved
655:
645:
634:. Retrieved
629:
620:
614:(in German).
611:
601:
595:(in German).
592:
586:
577:
571:
562:
556:
545:. Retrieved
534:
515:
509:
490:
484:
461:
455:
444:. Retrieved
439:
430:
416:
406:
393:
386:
382:
341:
285:
282:West Germany
279:
263:Albert Camus
259:
250:
237:
235:
218:
203:Resurrection
195:
189:
185:
177:
173:
171:
162:
151:
116:
108:
106:
28:
658:(in German)
543:(in German)
442:(in German)
221:Reichenbach
207:Martial law
182:Nazi salute
728:Categories
716:2024-02-08
688:2024-02-07
662:2021-02-01
636:2018-02-06
547:2018-05-04
446:2024-02-08
178:Aggression
72:Dimensions
470:cite book
407:In 2012,
293:Locations
275:swan song
232:Reception
135:and is a
389:landmark
267:Die Zeit
212:—
186:Alptraum
80:Location
398:Leipzig
255:Dresden
137:parable
119:) is a
92:Germany
88:Potsdam
522:
497:
318:Berlin
240:(11th
159:Icarus
157:, the
121:bronze
113:German
66:Bronze
62:Medium
44:Artist
25:German
423:Notes
246:Halle
199:Chaos
520:ISBN
495:ISBN
476:link
354:Bonn
307:Bonn
111:(in
107:The
57:1984
54:Year
409:SAP
305:in
169:).
129:GDR
730::
708:.
680:.
654:.
628:.
610:.
472:}}
468:{{
438:.
368:,
352:,
228:.
205:?
201:?
115::
90:,
86:,
27::
719:.
691:.
665:.
639:.
550:.
528:.
503:.
478:)
449:.
261:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
