Heinz Warneke (June 30, 1895 – 1983) was an American sculptor best remembered as an
animalier; his role in the
direct carving movement "assured him a place in the annals of 20th-century American sculpture".[1] In 1935 Heinz received the
Widener Gold Medal for his sculpture Wild Boars.
During World War I, Warneke was a member of the German Monuments Commission but later moved to New York in 1923.[4] He spent the years 1927–1932 in Paris creating a social realism, art-deco and primitivism sculptural style. When he returned to the United States, Warneke undertook multiple commissions for the
Works Progress Administration.[4]
He shared his skills with young art students by teaching sculpture at various institutions. From 1943 to 1968, Warneke taught in Washington, D.C. at the
George Washington University and the
Corcoran School of Art.[5]