Ferdinand Preiss

Johann Philipp Ferdinand Preiss (1882-1943) was the most prolific sculptor of the Art Deco period in Germany; he combined ivory, bronze, onyx and marble to create the most dazzling sculptures of his day. Preiss entered into an apprenticeship with his uncle, a master ivory carver, at the age of sixteen, following the death of his parents. He went on to become the most important Art Deco sculptor in Germany and, indeed one of the most accomplished in the whole of Europe, during the Nazi period. This book, the only work devoted entirely to this subject, follows the development of ivory carving in Erbach, Germany, focusing on the life and work of one of the country's most talented and prodigious sons. The political climate which Preiss and other artists were forced to endure during this time, its difficulties, constraints and influences on their work, is also explored. Extensive research into Nazi archives, interviews with family members, recently unearthed documents and the most comprehensive collection of sumptuous colour illustrations, truly enable the extraordinary talents of this formidable artist to shine.