This is a large stylish Art Deco bronze figural sculpture of a Greek warrior male nude, titled ''The Enemy Below'' by the renowned German sculptor Otto Schmidt-Hofer (German, 1873–1925) and bearng his signature, Circa 1920 in date. The warrior is a male nude holding a boulder above his head, with a helmet and a dagger at his feet, on a naturalistic canted rectangular base. The base is signed Schmidt-Hofer and the bronze is raised on a large stepped veined marble plinth. This high quality hot cast solid bronze was produced using the traditional ''lost wax'' process. The attention to detail is absolutely fantastic and the sculpture is extremely life-like. Condition:In really excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm:Height 79 x Width 20 x Depth 26 Dimensions in inches:Height 2 foot, 7 inches x Width 8 inches x Depth 10 inches Otto Schmidt-Hofer, predecessor of Arno BrekerOtto Schmidt-Hofer (1873 – 1925) was a German sculptor born in Berlin. He studied at the Royal School of Art and at the educational establishment in the Museum of Decorative Arts in Berlin (‘Deutsches Gewerbe-Museum zu Berlin’). Schmidt-Hofer was a member of the National Association of Artists in Germany (‘Reichsverband bildender Künstler’). He produced a number of sculptures of blacksmiths, masons at work, athletes and warriors. Already before World War I he gained fame and exhibited his works in nearly every famous gallery in Europe. He lived in Paris until 1914. In 1921 he almost died from starvation in post-war Berlin*. His work was primarily Neoclassical and Art Nouveau between 1893 – 1914, and Art Deco from 1915 until hit death in 1925. Along with other German sculptors of the period such as Franz Iffland, Preiss and Schmidt-Felling, Schimdt-Hofer takes his rightful place as one of the premier Neoclassical, Art Deco, and art Nouveau sculptors that Germany has ever produced. ‘I was visiting Germany when the machine-guns of the Socialists-army were turned loose upon the crowds of half starved people..…While virtually about 80% per cent of the people residing in the industrial centers at that time were slowly starving to death … It gave one the impression that a plaque was ravaging the country. Upon reaching Berlin I began a search for a former artist friend (Otto Schmidt Hofer) who had gained fame before the outbreak of the World war. At that time he was living in France and was a sculptor of renown, having exhibited his works in nearly every famous gallery in Europe. Shortly before the outbreak of the war he moved to Berlin and was unable to get out of the country after the conflict had started…I found the one-time famous artist lying in bed nearly dead from starvation. He had been without food for a period of three weeks. With him in the same room was another sculptor, Erich Saalmann by name. He too was in a very weakened condition due to the lack of food, but...