What inspired Rheinhold in making his sculpture is unknown, although it has obvious parallels with Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker. It is perhaps surprising to discover that while Rodin had developed his statue as early as 1880, it was not cast into bronze and displayed until after the Affe mit Schädel had debuted.Richter & Schmetzke (2005), p. 22. Also Richter & Schmetzke (2007), p. 90.
