Matthias Rudolph Toma Messerschmidts Character Heads 1839

Messerschmidt was born in 1736 in the town of Wiesensteig in Germany. He studied sculpture in Munich and later worked in Vienna, where he became professor of sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts. Messerschmidt is best known for his series of character heads, which he created between 1770 and 1783. These sculptures depict exaggerated facial expressions and are believed to be a reflection of Messerschmidt's own mental state, as he suffered from a number of physical and mental health problems throughout his life. Messerschmidt's work was controversial during his lifetime and he was accused of being mentally unstable. However, his character heads have since become highly regarded as examples of expressionist sculpture. Messerschmidt died in Bratislava in 1783 at the age of 47. His work continues to be exhibited in museums and galleries around the world, and he is considered one of the most important sculptors of the 18th century.