In the early 1960s, Gerhard Marcks often travelled to Greece. In 1964, he acquired a piece of land in Kypseli on the island of Aegina and built a summer house, where he frequently stayed. During these years he was inspired by classical sculpture and created imposing female figures such as Gaia, Mother Earth“ and the larger than life „Aegina“, who bears the name of the island as well as that of the naiad Aigina, daughter of the river god Asopos. She was so beautiful that Zeus turned into an eagle and abducted her to the island of Oinone, Where she gave birth to Zeus‘ son Aiakos. In her honour the island recived its present name.
Apart from Greek antiquity, the influence of the monumental female figures by Aristide Maillol is especially visible in Aegina.
A bronze cast of Aegina was one of the first works of art to be installed in a public location in Bremen after the war. In 1968 Aegina was installed on the slope of the so-called Theaterberg in the public park Bremer Wallanlagen, where it remains to this day.
