Neptune Fountain (Dresden)
The Neptune Fountain is the most important baroque fountain in Dresden . It is located in the Friedrichstadt district in the former French garden of the Palais Brühl-Marcolini , today's Friedrichstadt Hospital. The fountain was built from 1744 to 1746 by Lorenzo Mattielli based on plans by Zacharias Longuelune . The reliefs “Romulus and Remus” (Rome) and “Pyramids and Sphinx” (Egypt) on the pedestals of the Neptune Fountain were created or renewed by the Dresden sculptor Franz Schwarz around 1890.
construction
The 40 meter wide sandstone fountain forms the end of the central axis of the palace. It has three storeys and is crowned by the ancient gods Amphitrite and Poseidon on a shell cart. The chariot is driven by Zephyr and a Nereid . Next to it is a triton blowing a horn . The effect of the fountain on the viewer is limited by the surrounding buildings from the 19th century. It was originally located as a point de vue at the end of an avenue and was framed by a vase-adorned slat construction in the Baroque style. Neptune stood therewith like on a stage. This staging was changed under the later owner of the palace, Camillo Marcolini , poplars were planted around the fountain. The Friedrichstadt Hospital has been located in the Palais since 1845, the line of sight from the Palais to the fountain was destroyed when clinics were erected.
Since the 1850s there were plans to move the fountain to a more suitable location. There were expert opinions and cost estimates from the Dresden sculptor Franz Schwarz, among others . Hans Erlwein, on the other hand, planned to tear down clinic buildings and redesign the park around the fountain. Since the beginning of the 1990s and with the completion of the restoration in 2011, there have been plans and debates to relocate the well, but they have not yet been implemented.
River god Tiber with relief
Relief Romulus and Remus (Rome)
River god Nile with relief
Relief pyramids and sphinx (Egypt)
Todays situation
The well was exposed to severe weathering. This is why the structure of the building is so badly damaged that parts of the body have already broken off in some of the figures. In 2006 , the Saxon Academy of the Arts launched an appeal for donations for the restoration of the fountain.
In 2009/2010 the restoration of the upper part of the well was carried out. All figures were restored and supplemented. On this occasion, the iconographic status of 1745 was restored. Neptune now again holds the laurel wreath in his right hand and is about to put it on the head of his wife Amphitryde. Nereid holds a coral branch in her left hand. Zephyr wears the trident of Neptune. The sculptor Robert Eduard Henze made artistic changes during the restoration work in 1874/75. These have now been reversed.
The restoration work was largely completed in May 2013. On May 24, 2013 the fountain was inaugurated again by the Mayor of Dresden, Helma Orosz. It is now in the summer months from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and on Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Until 6 p.m. in operation.
There are two vases on the left and two on the right of the fountain. The two right vases with depictions of Pan and Apollon were restored and put up again on July 1, 2014. Only the two left vases with depictions of Artemis and Dionysus have not yet been restored, this is to be done in the coming years with donations.
In December 2017, the journalist Friedrich Dieckmann suggested housing and restoring the original Neptune Fountain and placing a copy in front of the Japanese Palace .
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Homepage Neptunbrunnen ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Leipziger Tageblatt . April 18, 1902, p. 9 ( slub-dresden.de ).
- ↑ Homepage Neumarkt Dresden ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ MA: Divine Vessels - Vases of Pan and Apollo at the Neptune Fountain restored. In: DNN. July 2, 2014, p. 18.
- ↑ Copy of the Neptune Fountain at the Japanese Palace , Friedrich Dieckmann in: Newsletter 12-2017 Gesellschaft Historischer Neumarkt Dresden
literature
- Stadtlexikon Dresden A-Z . Verlag der Kunst, Dresden 1994, ISBN 3-364-00300-9 .
Web links
Coordinates: 51 ° 3 '26.7 " N , 13 ° 42' 59.4" E