Raven with prey - Ludwig Vordermayer (1868-1933)

Ludwig Vordermayer's Kolkrabe mit Beute (Large Raven with Prey, 1909) is a strikingly realistic bronze sculpture. It depicts a raven perched on a naturalistic rock base, firmly holding a small mouse between its sharp talons. The sculpture is cast in bronze with a black patina and warm brown nuances, giving the piece a refined depth and subtle color variations that accentuate its realism.
The raven is modeled with meticulous anatomical precision, from the details of its plumage to the precise curvature of its beak and claws. Its smooth, polished eyes capture the intelligence and cunning often attributed to this bird. The composition combines majesty and dynamism, as the raven seems suspended in a moment of contemplation, surveying its surroundings.
The marble base, finely chiselled with golden and dark veins, adds a touch of elegance and firmly anchors the bird in a setting that is both sophisticated and wild. The artist's signature, “Ludw. Vordermayer” and the date ‘1909’ are engraved on the base, along with the foundry stamp ”H. Noack Friedenau”, a Berlin foundry renowned for the quality of its bronze castings.
Vordermayer's Kolkrabe is a perfect illustration of the Art Nouveau aesthetic, which celebrates natural, organic forms. The work also incorporates symbolic elements: in the collective imagination, the raven is often associated with mystery, wisdom and mortality. The combination of refined realism and sculptural power makes this piece an outstanding example of early 20th-century European animal sculpture.
Not only does this sculpture testify to Vordermayer's talent for capturing the essence of the animal world in bronze, it also has historical value, as it comes from the prestigious Noack foundry, which produced works for the greatest sculptors of the time.