Collaboration with Hans Schröder

In the 70s and 80s of the last centuries the Martin Luck metal foundry worked together with the artist Hans Schröder. Hans Schröder (born on July 28, 1930 in Saarbrücken, died April 6, 2010) was a German sculptor and painter. From the mid-fifties Schröder devoted himself increasingly to visual arts. His preferred artistic forms of expression were sculptures, reliefs, paintings, collages and drawings. In addition to his painting and collage works, the artist`s main focus was modelling. He did his models, sculptures and reliefs mainly in bronze. His favourite motives came from the world of sport and the animal kingdom. The moving figure, the sportive fight as well as the struggle for survival were his favourite themes. Schröder was known for his idiosyncratic and expressive portrait sculptures of personalities from contemporary history, among others the German football official Hermann Neuberger. His most important motive, however, was the woman. He showed her in a variety of postures and different situations, where he played superficially with erotic motifs and voyeuristic elements. For him it was not the pure image which was the most import thing but rather “characteristics of life and forms of energy” (Schröder), so his own emotions were represented in his bronze work. The Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (May 20, 1976) wrote: “Schröder’s sculptures impress with their naturalness and unaffected freshness”. In 1984 he opened a generously designed “Kunsthaus” with a studio in Saarbrücken, which is open to the public and in which he also lived and worked. Below are two of his bronze sculptures molded and cast in the Martin Luck metal foundry: Bronze sculpture “Golden Europe” // Schröder sculpture “Eva” //

The picture shows a sculpture that symbolizes the town twinning between Neunkirchen and Mantes-la-Ville (France) and has been in Neunkirchen since 1972 (pictures left and center above and below). The bronze plaque of the poet Friedrich von Schiller from 1966 (pictures center right and far right) hangs in the Friedrich-von-Schiller-Schule in Neunkirchen-Wiebelskirchen. (Image sources: Wilhelm Alois Kurz / Karl Josef Wahl)

Both objects were shaped and cast by the Martin Luck Metallgießerei.

Collaboration with Ernst Alt

At the same time there was another collaboration with the artist Ernst Alt. Ernst Alt (born January 22, 1935 in Saarbrücken, died March 31, 2013) was a German painter and sculptor. Alt created, among other things, a large number of altarpieces, mosaics and stained-glass windows. He paid particular attention to the design of liturgical spaces, for which he made bronze portals, groups of people and other architectural sculptures. Below one of his works, which were molded and cast by the company Martin Luck Metallgießerei: bronze cross (2 x 2m) with corpus (2.30m) and Gloriole (Catholic Church Eiweiler, Saarland).

Collaboration with Max Mertz

In the 1960’s there was already a close cooperation with the artist Max Mertz. Mertz (born 1912 in Homburg, † 1981 in Saarbrücken) was a German graphic artist and painter.

• Justitia, bronze sculpture in the courtyard of the law and economics faculty of Saarland University, Saarbrücken, 1963, height: 3.10 m

• Hermes, bronze sculpture in the courtyard of the law and economics faculty of Saarland University, Saarbrücken, 1963, height: 3.50 m

“Saarfürst Fountain”, 1965/66, bronze, Christian-Kretschmar-Platz, Merzig

• Phoenix, bronze sculpture in the playground of the former boys’ school (today: Kreisrealschule Im Schmelzerwald), St. Ingbert, 1966, height: 4 m

• “Symbol”, sculpture, 1968, bronze,