Ludwig van Beethoven, Denkmal im Garten des Beethoven-Hauses in Bonn - Bronzeguß nach einem Gipsmodell von Naoum Aronson, Paris 1905

Naoum Aronson was born to Jewish parents in Kraslawa, a small town in Latvia close to the Belarus border. At the age of 20, he relocated to Paris and studied sculpture at the "École des Arts Décoratifs". As a student of Hector Lemaire (1846-1933) and Auguste Rodin (1840-1917), Aronson was strongly influenced by Rodin's expressive style.

In the summer of 1905 Aronson visited the concerts of the seventh chamber music festival in Bonn, organised by the association "Beethoven-Haus". Influenced by the concerts, Aronson created the first drafts for a Beethoven bust. The artist was obviuosly influenced by the atmosphere in Beethoven's birth house and the displayed cast of the composer's mask.

Shortly thereafter Aronson manufactured a monumental gypsum model for a bust which he later gave the "Beethoven-Haus". As the model was received in such a positive way, Aronson was ordered to create a bronze bust. In the autumn of 1905, a granite pedestal was made for the sculpture following Aronson's draft. On December 17th, 1905, Beethoven's 135th birthday, the monument was finally unveiled in the garden of the "Beethoven-Haus". There it can still be seen and admired by the museum's visitors.(S.B.)