Moses Fountain (Dijon)

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The Well of Moses

The Moses fountain in the Chartreuse de Champmol in Dijon is Claus Sluter's main work . It stands outside the city center of Dijon in the garden of the former Champmol monastery in the area of ​​the former burial church of the Dukes of Burgundy. Today there is a psychiatric institution here, which you also have to drive into to see the fountain .

The fountain was originally designed as a monumental calvary for the cloister. Six prophetic figures ( Moses , David , Jeremiah , Zechariah , Daniel , Isaiah ) stand in the base of the fountain and there was a crucifixion group as a crown, which is only preserved as a fragment. The Moses Fountain is Sluter's third and best-known work, which can be seen as the high point of his creative phase. The fountain is probably based on the idea of ​​the "Fons vitae", the fountain of life. The Dutch sculptor Claus Sluter died in Dijon between September 24, 1405 and January 31, 1406. His work shows that by this time he had already passed the height of his life and was on the threshold of old age.

The Moses Fountain was created between 1395 and 1405. The whole fountain system is now in a glass house. Originally the whole Calvary scene with Christ on the cross, Mary, John and Magdalena at the feet was located here. This main part of the work was largely destroyed or disappeared before the French Revolution. Only the six prophets around the well are preserved: Moses, David, Jeremias, Zacharias, Daniel and Isaias, each with a banner that carries the respective prophecy.

David and Jeremias

David with the royal crown - to the right of it Jeremias with the book. A six-part lament rises from the banners to the former cross. Statements of Christ are written on these ribbons. The great Dutch cultural historian Johan Huizinga described the fountain as follows: “The whole representation offers the highest degree of spiritual play. That lies in the extraordinarily strong speaking of the representation. The written word of the inscriptions occupies an important place in this group. One penetrates to an understanding of the work only when one absorbs the whole sacred scope of those texts. "In David:" Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos, dinumeravi omnia ossa mea "(" They have digged through my hands and feet; I can count all my bones ”). The text on Jeremiah's banner reads: “O vos omnes qui transitis per viam, attendite et videte si est dolor sicut dolor meus” - “O all of you who pass by: look and see whether any pain is like my pain ".

Daniel

The saying of Daniel reads: “Post ebdomades sexaginta duas occidetur Christ” (“And after the sixty-two weeks the anointed one will be killed”). Close-ups show the precise characterization with which Sluter has endowed this stately figure. A certain resemblance to Michelangelo's figures a hundred years younger cannot be overlooked.

Moses

The most powerful figure of the whole group is Moses. This Old Testament prophet figure is probably Claus Sluter's most famous work, with its tremendous impact that was felt back then and is still noticeable today, which is caused by the folding of the garment alone. Michelangelo also used such means later for his Moses. Of the actual body of Moses, only the almost covered fingers of the hands and the part of the face that is not covered by the mighty beard can be seen.

The man's gaze proves the angry determination with which he is ready to lead his people through all obstacles to the Promised Land. The viewer is addressed directly by this gaze. There is no question of philosophical reserve and thoughtful reflection here. These are primarily acting characters. Proverb: "Immolabit agnum universa multitudo filiorum Israhel ad vesperam" ("The whole community of Israel should slaughter the lamb in the evening").

You have to imagine the work in its many colors, which can be reconstructed from the remaining paint, as painted by Jean Maelweel (or also written Jean Malouel ) and gilded by Hermann von Köln. No colorful or drastic effect was left out here. On the green pedestals stood the prophets in golden cloaks, Moses and Zechariah in red overcoats, the cloaks lined with blue, that of David all in blue with gold stars, for Jeremias in dark blue, for Isaiah, the most sad of all, in brocade. Golden suns and initials filled the vacancies, not forgetting the coats of arms etc.

  • Well of Moses, Dijon, Jeremias and Zacharias

  • Daniel and Isaiah

  • Moses and David

  • David and Jeremias

  • Jeremiah

  • Isaiah

  • Zacharias, Daniel and Isaiah

  • Daniel and Isaiah

literature

  • Evelyn Theresia Kubina: The Moses well in context. Diploma thesis at the Faculty of History and Cultural Studies of the University of Vienna, 2008 ( online version )
  • Johan Huizinga: Autumn of the Middle Ages . Stuttgart 1975, p. 375

Web links

Commons : Well of Moses  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 47 ° 19 ′ 16.3 ″  N , 5 ° 1 ′ 0.1 ″  E