The development of sculpture and plastic art in modern times remains a neglected area of art history to this day. For a long time, this genre was largely determined by commissions: for monuments, architectural sculptures, busts of notable figures, and so on. The emancipation from the demands of clients was also more challenging, as the material costs for producing bronze or marble sculptures are significantly higher than for paintings and graphics. Alfred Flechtheim was, according to Paul Cassirer, one of the pioneers in the German gallery scene who particularly promoted modern sculpture. He began collecting cubist sculptures by Picasso and the innovative figures of Matisse early on. He supported Wilhelm Lehmbruck and Ernst Barlach and became a central figure for artists such as Ernesto di Fiori, Renée Sintenis, Rudolf Belling, Georg Kolbe, Hermann Haller, Arno Breker, and Gerhard Marcks.