Best Pamono Large Art Nouveau Museum Fish Plate by Hugo Leven for Kayserzinn, 1900s

Large Art Nouveau fish plate made of tin, designed by Hugo Leven for Kayserzinn around 1900. This beautiful Art Nouveau object is decorated with a decor of embossed fish, dragonflies, water lilies and reeds. The plate is in good condition for its age, the pewter has a patina that can of course be polished away. Hugo Leven’s works are part of the collections of various museums such as: E.g.:
Indianapolis Museum of Art, KreisMuseum Zons, Musee des Arts Decoratifs’ Paris, Bröhan Museum in Berlin

Marked on the back with “Kayserzinn” and the number “4128”. The record is listed in the Kayserzinn catalog from 1907.

Vita and work:
Hugo Leven (March 15, 1874 in Düsseldorf-Benrath; † 1956 in Bad Soden-Salmünster) was a German sculptor.
Leven studied at the School of Applied Arts and then at the Düsseldorf Art Academy. He worked for a time in the studio of his father Louis Leven, had numerous contacts with French artists who greatly influenced him, and quickly became known. Engelbert Kayser hired him as the first employee in his studio. from 1895 to 1904 Leven designed numerous models for Kayserzinn; his works had a lasting influence on the Art Nouveau pewter foundry. He also worked for the Kreuter company in Hanau and other companies that manufactured metal, silver and earthenware goods, such as: B. Koch & Bergfeld and WMF. from 1904 to 1909 he lived in Bremen. In 1906, Leven’s works could be seen at the Third German Decorative Arts Exhibition in Dresden; He also took part in world exhibitions etc. from 1909 to 1933 he taught at the drawing academy of the technical school for the precious metal industry in Hanau, of which he became director. His students included Wilhelm Wagenfeld, Christian Dell and Herbert Zeitner. In 1933 he lost his job. After the Second World War, he led the reconstruction of the drawing academy, which resumed operations in 1947.
Leven’s style is determined by ornamentally arranged but naturalistically modeled depictions of plants and animals. In 2001/2002 an exhibition about Leven and his works was on view in the Hanau Historical Museum in Philippsruhe Castle in Hanau and in the Zons District Museum.