Lot 1381: A patinated bronze group: "Eritis Sicut Deus"after a model by Hugo Wolfgang Rheinhold (German, 1853-1900)fourth quarter 19th century Fine American and European Furniture, Silver, Folk and Decorative Arts and Clocks

Depicting an ape contemplating a human skull, inscribed RHEINHOLD to the base, with DARWIN to the spine of a book, and ERITIS SICUT DEUS to a torn scroll. height 12 1/2in (31.75cm)

The quote inscribed on this bronze comes from Genesis 3:5, attributed to the serpent attempting to convince Eve to eat from the forbidden apple: "...and you will be like God." It is also found in Goethe's Faust I, written in the student's album by Mephistopheles, disguised as Doctor Faust. The chimp's pose, reminiscent of Hamlet contemplating Yorick's skull, accompanied by the reference to Darwin, appears to call into question both the limits of Darwinist theory, and man's preeminence in the animal kingdom. Examples of this sculpture are found in the University of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Surgeons of England in London, and reportedly for a time on Lenin's desk in the Kremlin, Moscow.