Gerhard Marcks was a German sculptor who was strongly influenced by classical Greek art. Living in Germany at the time of the Nazi’s rise to power, Marcks’ work was considered degenerate. He was removed from his teaching position as the head of the Ceramic Workshop for the Framed Bauhaus and prohibited from exhibiting or creating anymore artwork. This halt in his career gave him the push to move to Cologne in 1950 to rebuild his life and restart his art career. Marcks’ piece Albertus Magnus was acquired by the University of Houston in 1970. It was the second artwork to join the public art collection. The sculpture is based on a 13th century Dominican theologian teacher whose document on legal concept of city government influenced Germany until the 17th century. Albertus Magnus was born in 1193 in Swabia, and besides Charlemagne he was the only “Magnus” of the middle ages. Albertus wrote many commentaries that shaped future generations of knowledge. Read more about Marcks’ connection to the Bauhaus here.