Dresden No. 1

Assumed PD

Results: 16 records

Click to view images and/or subjects

New Testament - public life of Christ - baptism of Christ - in the Jordan

Scene Description: [cf. FontNotes]

Image Source: detail of an illustration in Robert Bruck, 'Die Sophienkirche in Dresden. Ihre Geschichte und ihre Kunstschätze. Keller' (Dresden, 1912) - reproduced in http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlosskapelle_%28Dresden%29 [accessed 20 May 2013]

Copyright Instructions: PD

Old Testament - Genesis - the Flood and destruction of mankind - story of Noah (Genesis 7:10 - 8:17) - Noah and the ark

Old Testament - Story of Moses - Exodus - crossing of the Red Sea

Scene Description: partially visible in the remains of the basin

Image Source: edited version of a photograph taken 128 October 2009 by Paulae [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Taufstein_Schlosskapelle_Dresden_Hans_Walther_II.JPG] - reworked in http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taufstein_Schlosskapelle_Dresden_Hans_Walther_II-2.JPG [accessed 19 May 2013]

Copyright Instructions: CC-BY-SA-3.0

animal - bird

Scene Description: accompanying the putti

Copyright Instructions: PD

design element - architectural - niche

Scene Description: [cf. FontNotes]

Copyright Instructions: PD

design element - architectural - niche or window

Scene Description: arches supported in columns with capitals

Copyright Instructions: PD

design element - motifs - floral and foliage

Copyright Instructions: PD

design element - motifs - geometric

Scene Description: adorned with stones [cf. FontNotes]

Copyright Instructions: PD

human figure

Scene Description: several; in niches [cf. FontNotes]

Copyright Instructions: PD

human figure - demi-figure

Scene Description: several of them, male and female; one is dressed like a Roman emperor; to his side a Roman matron?

Copyright Instructions: PD

human figure - putto

Scene Description: in pairs; surrounded by foliage, food, birds...

Copyright Instructions: PD

view of church exterior - west view

Scene Description: Sophienkirche in 1913

Image Source: 1913 postcard [www.etsy.com/listing/23351571/vintage-1913-picture-postcard-dresden] [accessed 19 May 2013]

Copyright Instructions: PD

view of font

Scene Description: the reconstructed remains of the font at present

Copyright Instructions: CC-BY-SA-3.0

view of font and cover

Scene Description: the font ca. 1910

Image Source: illustration in Robert Bruck, 'Die Sophienkirche in Dresden. Ihre Geschichte und ihre Kunstschätze. Keller' (Dresden, 1912) - reproduced in http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlosskapelle_%28Dresden%29 [accessed 20 May 2013]

Copyright Instructions: PD

view of font and cover

Scene Description: Source caption: "Abb. 2. Übersichtsdarstellung des Taufsteins mit Verortung der verwendeten Dekorations- und Schmucksteine (Vorlage nach Gurlitt 1903, verändert): 1 – Beckenrand (roter Kalkstein), 2 – Sandsteinreliefs der Kuppa, 3 – Nischen- und Säulenarchitektur (Serpentinit Zöblitz und heller Kalkstein), 4 – Rahmen der Reliefs (Serpentinit Zöblitz), 5 – Fries mit Diamantquadern (Serpentinit Zöblitz, Jaspis, Kalksteine), 6 – Einlagen im Sandstein der Ausladung unter dem Taufbecken (Serpentinit Zöblitz, heller Kalkstein), 7 – Platte aus Zöblitzer Serpentinit, 8 – Fuß (Alabaster), 9 – Diamantquader (roter Kalkstein und Serpentinitbrekzie Verde Antico), 10 – Sockelplatte (roter Kalkstein). Fig. 2. Sketch of the font with localisation of the used decorative stones and minerals (pattern from Gurlitt 1903, changed): 1 – rim of the basin (red limestone), 2 – sandstone reliefs, 3 – architectural elements (columns, niches – serpentinite from Zöblitz and light limestone), 4 – frame around the reliefs (serpentinite from Zöblitz), 5 – frieze with diamond-point stones (serpentinite from Zöblitz, jasper, limestones), 6 – inlays in the sandstone ornaments below the basin (serpentinite from Zöblitz, light limestone), 7 – slab made of serpentinite from Zöblitz, 8 – foot (alabaster), 9 – diamond-point stones (red limestone and serpentinite breccia Verde Antico), 10 – pedestal (red limestone)."

Image Source: digital image of an illustration in Heiner Siedel's Dekorationsgesteine und Schmucksteine am Taufstein der Schlosskapelle in Dresden / Decorative and semiprecious stones on the font of the chapel in the Residence Castle in Dresden, in Geologia saxonica 63: 123-135 [www.senckenberg.de/geologica-saxonica] [accessed 29 June 2022]

Copyright Instructions: Assumed PD

view of font cover

Scene Description: one handle clearly visible; a second one appears to exist at the back -- fret band decoration -- carved domed may have included scenes -- finial with cushion-like paltform, chalice above and couchant lamb atop

INFORMATION

FontID: 08421DRE

Museum and Inventory Number: Dresden Schloss Museum

Church/Chapel: [originally from Sophienkirche, later in the Schlosskapelle]

Church Patron Saints: [St. Sophia]

Church Location: Schloßplatz, 01067 Dresden, Germany

Country Name: Germany

Location: Dresden, Sachsen

Directions to Site: The Schlosskapelle is located in the Schloss-Platz, by the S bank of the Elbe river -- Sophienkirche stood on the NE corner of the Postplatz, before its destruction in 1962 on resolution of the party and government of the GDR

Font Location in Church: In the display area of the museum

Date: 1555

Century and Period: 16th century(mid),

Workshop/Group/Artisan: Hans Walther II

Font Notes: Click to view font notes

An illustration of this font in its original shape appears in Bruck (1912); the font cosists of a cylindrical basin deeply carved with Biblical scenes in window-like frames, one of which is the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan river and a possible the Israelites Crossing of the Red Sea; between these frames are elaborate niches that may have have housed little statuettes;a band of large semi-precious stones separates the basin sides from the underbowl; the underbowl is crowded with humans (putti, demi-figures), foliage and architectural details; the cylindrical pedestal base has several niches or windows, deeply carved with human figures engaged in different activities (drinking, etc.); between the niches, geometrical shapes; mouldings below. The metal (?) font cover is domed-shaped, the lower side decorated with a fret band, the upper part of the dome appears to have scenes on it, and the finial is cup or chalice shaped with a couchant lamb on it; the cover appears to have had handles at opposite ends. The font was badly damaged in the Allied bombings of World War II that destroyed a large part of Dresden. Described and illustrated in Syndram (2001) as the fragmentary remains of the baptismal font originally from the chapel of Dresden Castle; it is believed to be the work of Hans Walther II and dated to 1555; the author describes the remains, which amount to part of the basin sides, most of the underbowl, and part of the pedestal base; the materials listed in the source are: sandstone, alabaster, jasper and serpentine stone. Described and illustrated in Heiner Siedel's Dekorationsgesteine und Schmucksteine am Taufstein der Schlosskapelle in Dresden / Decorative and semiprecious stones on the font of the chapel in the Residence Castle in Dresden, in Geologia saxonica 63: 123-135 [www.senckenberg.de/geologica-saxonica] [accessed 29 June 2022], where the abstract reads: "In a renewed petrographic investigation of the stone material of the font of the chapel in the Residence Castle in Dresden (1558), contrary descriptions of the used material in the existing literature were critically examined and partially revised. An interesting new insight was the early use of (regional?) alabaster in the foot of the font by the Dresden sculptor Hans Walther II. At the same time the utilization of serpentinite and jasper from Saxony and the use of light, fine-grained limestone probably from Southern Germany by Hans Walther reflect his early intentions to apply decorative minerals and stones for designing pieces of art. The red limestones in the pedestal as well as in the rim of the basin, most likely coming from Grünau near Wildenfels in Saxony, are additions of a later renovation after 1600. Diamond-point stones on the font’s foot made of the green serpentinite breccia Verde Antico correspond with columns of the same material on the second altar of the chapel in the Residence Castle, erected during a renovation by Klengel 1662. The results demonstrate that investigations of stone materials used on works of art might contribute to better understanding of the object’s history."

COORDINATES

Church Latitude & Longitude Decimal: 51.053661, 13.738433

Church Latitude & Longitude DMS: 51° 3′ 13.18″ N, 13° 44′ 18.36″ E

UTM: 33U 411580 5656549

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone, mixed [cf. FontNotes]

Font Shape: cylindrical (mounted)

Basin Interior Shape: round

Basin Exterior Shape: round

LID INFORMATION

Date: 1555?

Material: metal,

Apparatus: no

Notes: [cf. FontNotes]

REFERENCES

Syndram, Dirk, Der Schloss zu Dresden: von der Residenz zu Museum, München, Berlin: Koehler & Amelang, 2001