Triumph of the Saxon Baroque: The Sculptor Paul Heermann
Paul Heermann (1673 – 1732), a native of the Saxon Ore Mountains, was one of Germany’s most important Baroque sculptors. Although his bust of August the Strong is one of the best-known portraits of this ruler, he is still overshadowed by the more famous Balthasar Permoser. The first ever exhibition dedicated to this artist now aims to rectify this perception. The exhibition is occasioned by a spectacular acquisition by the Skulpturensammlung, which coincides with the 350th anniversary of Heermann’s birth.
- Exhibition Site Zwinger
- DATES 16/12/2022—16/04/2023
Anlass dafür ist ein spektakulärer Ankauf, der der
It is a 1.40-metre-tall marble group depicting Saturn and Ops, whose refined composition, virtuoso technique, and sensuous finish demonstrate the artist’s supreme mastery. The sculpture portrays the intimate affection between a married couple, the Roman deities Saturn and Ops, who were considered the regents of the happy and fertile Golden Age. Since August the Strong enjoyed being fêted as Saturn, founding a new Golden Age for Saxony, the group can also be interpreted as symbolising the glorious Augustan era.
Ausstellungsansichten
Damit wird sie auch zu einem Sinnbild für da
The exhibition is an invitation to discover an important Saxon artist. The sculpture Saturn and Ops is therefore presented alongside a selection of his works from Dresden and Leipzig collections. For example, all four of his groups of putti which depict the struggle between terrestrial and celestial love in an allegorical and amusing manner, can be seen together for the first time. Delicate pieces in ivory and boxwood, as well as touching fragments of Heermann’s work created for the Zwinger and the Great Garden, which fell victim to war and decay, give an impression of his creative range.
Program
"Saturn und Ops" wurden erworben mit Hilfe von
"Saturn und Ops" wurden erworben mit Hilfe von
