Porcelain Schreitendes Mädchen (Striding Lady) – Ottmar Obermaier

A beautiful of porcelain statue designed by German artist Ottmar Obermaier.

Ottmar Obermaier (1883–1965) was born in Inzzell, Bavaria. In 1907 he went to Akademie der Bildende Kunsten in Munich, where he studied under Professor Erwin Kurz, who at that time was a famous teacher and sculptor of statues. Obermaier’s works were frequently displayed in the Glaspalast in Munich. From 1923 on he worked as a designer for Rosenthal Porcelain. Rosenthal hired Obermaier to design idealized human forms based on Greek and Roman classics for production. These figures, most displaying physical prowess and athletic pursuits, have titles such as Discus Thrower, Victor, and Striding Woman. Ottmar Obermaier represented Germany in 1928 at the Amsterdam Olympics. While Obermaier did not medal in the 1928 Olympics, he continued to design for Rosenthal until the mid-1930s. After 1936 he also worked as a designer for the Allach porcelain manufactory with the most famous of his works being “Der Fencer”. Obermaier was represented in the Great German Art Exhibition 1937-44 with 13 works, of which two were bought by Hitler. The original of the Schreitendes Mädchen was in bronze and exhibited in room 02 in 1938.  His most well known sculptures were ‘Deutsche Mutter’, ‘Der Sieger’, ‘Die Siegerin’, ‘Meister im Wurf’, ‘Schreitendes’ and ‘Jung Deutschland’. Obermaier died in 1965 in Munich.

This statue is completely undamaged and has an incredible wax like finish to its surface – just amazing. It stands at 440mm tall with the artists signature at the base – “O. Obermaier 1931”. The underside of the base it has the Rosenthal mark and the model number “1527”.

I cannot state strongly enough what a beautiful piece of art this really is and I will be sad to see the leave my collection.