# Monkey Holding Skull Statue by Wolfgang Hugo Rheinhold – Symbolist Sculpture Replica

## _Affe mit Schädel |_ Desk Statue with Big Ideas

The **Monkey Holding Skull Statue** is a captivating meditation on knowledge, evolution, and human self-reflection. Created by German sculptor **Wolfgang Hugo Rheinhold** in 1892–93, the small bronze figure—sometimes called _Philosophizing Monkey_—caused a sensation when exhibited at the Berlin Art Exhibition of 1893. It was Rheinhold’s first public work and became an immediate success, reproduced in several versions by the Berlin foundry H. Gladenbeck & Sohn.

In this scene, a thoughtful monkey sits upon a stack of books, gazing at a human skull held delicately in one paw. One book bears the Latin words _Eritis Sicut Deus_—“Thou shalt be as God” (from Genesis III: 5)—the serpent’s promise to Eve. Another volume is inscribed with the name _Darwin_, referring to Charles Darwin’s groundbreaking **_On the Origin of Species_**. Through these symbols, Rheinhold invites reflection on faith, science, and the boundaries of reason.

This faithful museum reproduction from the [Parastone Museum Collection](https://www.museumize.com/collections/collection-parastone "Parastone Museum Collection") preserves the expressive modeling and bronze patina of the original. The **Monkey Holding Skull Statue** embodies late-nineteenth-century curiosity about evolution, philosophy, and the moral consequences of knowledge. A cast of the sculpture even sat upon Vladimir Lenin’s desk in the Kremlin, a testament to its enduring symbolism.

-   Faithful reproduction of _Monkey Holding Skull (Affe mit Schädel)_, 1892–93
-   Made from bonded stone with bronze finish
-   Measures 6 in H × 4 in W × 3.25 in L · Weight 1.7 lbs
-   Includes descriptive information card
-   Other sizes available: [RHE03](../../../products/monkey-holding-skull-sitting-on-pile-of-books-statue-rheinhold) and [PA09RHE](../../../products/rheinhold-philosophizing-monkey-with-skull-miniature)
-   Part of the [Parastone Museum Collection](https://www.museumize.com/collections/collection-parastone "Parastone Museum Collection") (PN RHE01)

### Meaning and Symbolism

The **Monkey Holding Skull Statue** condenses the intellectual anxieties of the 1890s. Its humorous yet somber tone mirrors the era’s debates between religion and evolutionary science. The monkey, mankind’s biological cousin, contemplates mortality and reason—an ironic reversal of Shakespeare’s _Hamlet_, where a man ponders a skull. Rheinhold’s creature, rather than despairing, appears to question the arrogance of human intellect itself.

The sculpture has also been nicknamed _Darwin’s Mistake_, emphasizing humanity’s uneasy relationship with its animal origins. Whether seen as satire or philosophy, it remains a powerful commentary on the pursuit of knowledge and the limits of wisdom.

### About the Artist: Wolfgang Hugo Rheinhold (1853–1900)

Born in Oberlahnstein, Prussia, Rheinhold was the son of a prosperous Jewish merchant. He traveled to San Francisco in 1874 to work in trade, but after the death of his wife he returned to Berlin to study philosophy. Art became his calling only later in life. Under the guidance of Max Kruse and Ernst Herter at the Berlin Academy of Arts, Rheinhold developed a distinct style combining moral inquiry and realism. His major works include _Am Wege_, a life-size marble of a mourning mother nursing her child, and the famous _Monkey Holding Skull_.

Although his career was brief, Rheinhold’s sculptures captured the intellectual spirit of fin-de-siècle Europe. They bridge art and science, echoing the philosophical questions posed by thinkers such as Darwin and Nietzsche. His combination of humor and gravitas continues to fascinate collectors and historians today.

## For More Reading on _Monkey Holding Skull_

-   Wikipedia overview of _Affe mit Schädel_: [background, versions, and cultural notes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affe_mit_Sch%C3%A4del)
-   Artist profile at the Linda Hall Library: [Hugo Rheinhold, Scientist of the Day](https://www.lindahall.org/about/news/scientist-of-the-day/hugo-rheinhold/)
-   Historical reference from Harvard’s Countway Library (archived): [Rheinhold and _Monkey Holding Skull_](https://web.archive.org/web/20120213112844/https://www.countway.harvard.edu/bml/rheinhold.htm)

## Details

- **Price:** 69.5 USD
- **Vendor:** Parastone
- **Type:** Statues
- **Tags:** artist-assorted, collection-parastone, in-stock-museum-gift-store, interest-philosophers-writers-poets, material-bronze-finish, size-small-4-to-11-inches, statues

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default | 69.50 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Philosophizing Monkey Holding Skull sculpture replica, seated on books, Parastone collection

- Back view Small Monkey with Skull statue inspired by Rheinhold’s Affe mit Schädel
- Monkey Holding Skull miniature sculpture symbolizing evolution and knowledge.
- Side view museum replica Monkey Holding Skull statue by Hugo Rheinhold
- Monkey Holding Skull statue by Hugo Rheinhold - 3 sizes museum replicas

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> Source: [Museumize.com](https://www.museumize.com/products/monkey-skull-1892-93-rheinhold)
> Updated: 2026-06-23