'Dancing Lady' Art Deco Sculpture by Ernst Seger (1868-1939)

Ernst Seger (1868–1939) was a prominent German sculptor and medallist celebrated for his mastery of the human form and his transition from academic realism to fluid Art Nouveau styles. After studying at the Royal School of Arts and Crafts in Breslau, he moved to Paris in 1893 to train at the Académie Julian and work directly in the studio of Auguste Rodin. This Parisian experience deeply influenced his technique, steering him toward a more dynamic, modern aesthetic.

Upon returning to Germany in 1894, Seger established a highly successful studio in Berlin and was awarded a professorship in 1908. He achieved widespread acclaim for both his large-scale public monuments, such as the Bismarck Fountain in Breslau, and his elegant, smaller bronze and marble female nudes, including Kypris. During the 1930s, his neoclassical depictions of athletic figures aligned with state aesthetics, though many of his monumental bronze works were tragically melted down or destroyed during World War II.