Leo Wirth: Sculpture 'Freedom' (2021), bronze on marble plinth

Freedom is feminine. This refers not only to its grammatical gender, but also to its traditional imagery. Like so many things, this begins in Roman mythology. Libertas, who represents freedom, is depicted here as a richly adorned female figure, and one world-famous 'daughter' of this Libertas is the Statue of Liberty in New York. In art history, there is a no less iconic version: Delacroix's barricade painting 'Liberty Leading the People' from 1830 shows her in the form of a half-exposed fighter leading the people to political emancipation - vulnerable, but charging forward indomitable. For Delacroix, freedom is not a state, but a goal to be achieved and defended. Wirth's 'Freedom' is in this tradition. His version, executed as a nude, also shows freedom in dynamic motion; here, too, it storms ahead. The pose, reminiscent of a finish line, is no coincidence: Wirth shows the goal, knowing full well that the revolutionary triad is still an unfinished project: freedom, equality and - let's call it that at this point - sisterhood. Sculpture in bronze, cast using the lost wax technique, chiselled, polished and patinated by hand. Limited edition of 99 pieces, numbered, signed and hallmarked with the foundry stamp. With numbered certificate of authenticity and limited edition. Format including marble base 49 x 27 x 19 cm (h/w/d). Plinth size 18.5 x 8 x 5 cm (h/w/d). Weight approx. 6 kg. ars mundi exclusive edition.