Anton Hiller

Anton Hiller (Munich 1893 - 1982) was a German sculptor whose work occupies an important place in the development of modern sculpture in Germany during the 20th century. His artistic career was characterised by a continuous exploration of the human figure, moving gradually from traditional figurative sculpture towards increasingly simplified and abstract forms.

Hiller studied sculpture in Munich and became closely associated with the city's vibrant artistic scene. Throughout his career, the human body remained a central theme in his work. His sculptures are distinguished by their strong sense of proportion, elegant contours and a remarkable balance between naturalism and abstraction.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Hiller's artistic language developed considerably. While his earlier works retain a recognisable, classical approach to the human figure, his later sculptures increasingly reduce the body to essential shapes and volumes. This transition can be clearly seen in works such as Eva (1962), where the figure remains identifiable while the forms have already been simplified into a more modern and abstract composition.

Hiller worked in a variety of materials, including bronze, wood and plaster. His sculptures often possess a quiet monumentality: rather than relying on dramatic gestures, they derive their strength from the relationship between volume, surface, proportion and space. This gives his work a timeless quality and places it between traditional European figurative sculpture and the emerging language of modernism.

Hiller was also active within the Munich art community and exhibited with the Neue Gruppe, an important association of Munich artists. His work was shown in exhibitions during the 1960s and 1970s, and his sculptures are documented in the catalogue raisonné of his oeuvre.

Today, Anton Hiller's work is appreciated for its distinctive combination of classical discipline and modern abstraction. His sculptures demonstrate how the human figure can be progressively simplified without losing its sense of presence, elegance and individuality.

Available works shown:

Torso, 1975

Plaster. Signed
HILLER on the base.

Height: 69 cm.

Catalogue raisonné:
Hiller 327.

Walking girl figure, 1975

Plaster. Signed A.
HILLER on the left side of the base.

Restoration to the
left shoulder.

Height: 116 cm.

Catalogue raisonné:
Hiller 325.

Provenance:
Estate of Anton Hiller.

Literature: P. A. Riedl, p. 26, illustrations 67-68.

Exhibition:
Neue Gruppe 1978, catalogue illustration no. 912.

First bronze cast: Mochental 1986.

Block Figure, 1972

Wood. Unsigned.

Height: 98 cm.

Catalogue raisonné:
Hiller 296.

Provenance:
Estate of Anton Hiller.

Literature: P. A. Riedl, p. 22, illustration 53.

Exhibitions:
Lenbachhaus 1973, catalogue no. 36; Pfalzgalerie 1974, catalogue no. 49; Mochental 1986.

Eva, 1962

Bronze with brown patina. Signed on the right side at the back.

Height: 85 cm.

Catalogue raisonné:
Hiller 171.

Provenance:
Estate of the artist.

Exhibition:
Neue Gruppe, Munich, 1962, catalogue no. 137.

Eva (1962) is particularly significant within Hiller's oeuvre, as the work marks an important transition. The sculpture still retains the elegance and distinctive presence of the human figure, while simultaneously introducing the simplified forms and abstraction that would become characteristic of his later work. The piece therefore belongs among the important sculptures from this crucial period in Hiller's artistic development.

Details of the work

Title: Eva
Year: 1962
Medium: Bronze
Height: 85 cm
Signature: Signed "A. Hiller"
Exhibition: Neue Gruppe, Munich, 1962
Provenance: Estate of the artist

Woman, Wood, 1964

Wood. Minor shrinkage cracks.

Height: 81 cm.

Catalogue raisonné:
Hiller 182.

Provenance:
Estate of Anton Hiller.

Exhibition:
Günther Franke 1966, catalogue no. 5.