European Decorative Arts and Sculpture

Favourite objects

Louis-Seize-Raum, um 1775, Hamburg, Foto: Roman Raacke

Louis Seize room

No glass, no display case! I'm standing in the middle of my favourite exhibit, the Louis Seize Room. The Hamburg merchant and councillor Nikolaus Gottlieb Lütkens (1716-1788) imported this panelled room from France around 1780 and had it installed in his house at Katharinenstrasse 17. Shortly before the house was demolished in 1877, the then director of the MK&G, Justus Brinckmann, acquired the panelling, “one of the most outstanding pieces in the collection”. With its flower garlands, tendrils, antique vases, ribbons and crossed olive branches, this room is perfect Louis Seize. This style goes back to an initiative by Madame de Pompadour, who, probably tired of rococo, had sent an art delegation to Rome to study classical decorative elements. Whenever I'm in the museum, I always make a detour to my favourite exhibit and enjoy the perfect symmetry and harmony that this room radiates. In the 19th century as a showroom and concert hall for the C. H. Schröder piano factory, this room was hopefully conducive to sales! In any case, it was a beautiful setting for a piano recital by the 17-year-old Johannes Brahms on 14 April 1849. Today, the room houses three pieces of furniture by Abraham and David Roentgen as well as a modern replica of the Wandelkommode, which invites you to discover the functions of the original.

Emmanuelle Bertrand, Volunteer Employee

Elfenbeinskulptur mit Contrefait-Kugel, Süddeutschland, 17. Jh., Foto: MK&G/Jörg Arend

Contrefait ball

The actual meaning of the word contrefait is counterfeit, imitation or fused, the second wonder ball. At first glance, the object with the French name, which sounds like a sweet, looks like a work of art from Asia. However, this is actually a 17th century South German turner's work, made from ivory, a widely travelled material. The large, multi-layered sphere fascinates between the various small plates, coils and rings strung together like a string of pearls. The other spheres inside are movable independently of each other and demand the highest level of craftsmanship, as the object is made from a single piece and not, as one might initially assume, assembled. It is possible that the piece has become eccentric over time, but perfect symmetry may never have been the intention. In keeping with the original meaning of the word, perhaps it is a game of hide-and-seek, a riddle, a carrier of secrets? Who was it meant to impress, was it considered a pastime - for thinking, dreaming, puzzling, watching, turning and wanting to play? Among all the useful things in the display case, vases and drinking vessels - a little provocation. Not for the sake of, just for: joy. And therefore a favourite.

Julia Behrend, Senior Registrar

Tabatière in Form eines Mopses, um 1750, Deutschland, MK&G, Foto: Roman Raacke

Snuff box

Bright fur, big eyes, pink tongue and collar - this enamel box is a tabatière in the shape of a pug. Alongside other containers and smelling bottles in neighbouring display cases, which take the form of pears, bouquets of flowers, heads and even a clergyman in a gown, this display case is dedicated to the dog. I am familiar with the fact that cans in the 18th century were designed in various and sometimes unusual shapes, but this collection of pug figurines is astonishing. With the exoticising enthusiasm for the so-called Chinese fashion, the dog breed originating from East Asia came into the European salons, but this tabatière had a specific function: as a gift within the “pug order”. This was presumably a secret Masonic order founded in 1740, to which women also belonged and whose members referred to themselves as “pugs”. At that time valued as a symbol of loyalty and solidarity, the pug nowadays has a rather negative connotation due to its over-breeding and chubby stature and is also used as a derogatory term for breasts and overweight people. Critical, whimsical and somehow also cute - this pug tabatière combines much greater meanings than a first glance might suggest.

Carina Engelke, Freiraum Team

Ein altes Zimmer mit Holzmöbeln und Holzwänden.

Stube aus dem Bauernhaus des Joachim Krey, Klein-Wisch, 1744, Foto: Roman Raacke

Wilstermarscher Room

My favourite object is the Wilstermarscher Room on the ground floor of the museum. The room as a period room is a collection of objects: Chests, chairs, tables, stoves and wall panelling dating from the mid-18th century and the aforementioned Wilstermarsch region northwest of Hamburg. I walk past during my breaks and enjoy the tranquillity inherent in this part of the permanent exhibition. The floorboards creak and I pause. Not that someone will end up peeking out from the other side of the closed and ornate door and sternly inviting me to the table. The windows are opaque and don't allow a view, but their cold light illuminates the dark room, which feels both confining and cosy. It is a wintry midday light and I imagine how the snow lies on the fields and the marsh behind the steamed-up window pane. Birds are searching underneath for the lost remains of the last harvest. I can make myself comfortable for a moment, because the cold doesn't find its way into my room, nor do the pigeons or the approaching trains from the railway station, which conceal the real field behind the imagined snowy landscape.

Tilman Walther, Curator and Head of Freiraum

Glaskännchen aus „Schackert-Porzellan“, 1751/63, Glashütte Basdorf, Foto: MK&G/Roman Mishchuk

Glass jug

Glass or porcelain, that is the question here. The small, somewhat inconspicuous-looking jug is perhaps not one of the most beautiful exhibits at the MK&G, yet it fascinates me. It is the result of an attempt by the Schackert brothers in Brandenburg to produce the porcelain known from China in Europe in the 18th century. Although the jug is made of glass, it was not moulded by blowing, as is usually the case, as traces of processing on the inside show. The appearance of the jug is also in stark contrast to other glassware: The typical lustre is missing and the surface appears almost dirty and not as bright white as frosted glass. But what exactly is the composition of the material and was the uneven shape intentional or a result of the manufacturing process? Even after considering various observations, there are still more questions than answers, which even research (so far) cannot really answer. Until then, the jug continues to exert its magical attraction and I remain in front of the display case, hoping that the jug will one day reveal its secret to me.

Annika Thielen, European Decorative Arts and Sculpture Collection

Hamburger Schapp, Hamburg, um 1700, Foto: Sönke Ehlert

Hamburger Schapp

"But it won't fit in the living room" said a visitor to her companion as I stood in front of the "Hamburger Schapp" in the Hamburger Zimmer on the ground floor. At 2.60 metres high and 2.80 metres wide, the baroque cabinet is also too large for most Hamburg flats. The "Hamburger Schapp" was created at the end of the heyday of the Hanseatic cities around 1700 and even then was not intended for the living room, but for the large hallways of the merchants' houses. Although "Schapp" only means "cupboard", it describes a certain magnificent type of cupboard that was widespread throughout the North German coastal region. The "Hamburger Schapp" is therefore veneered with the precious walnut wood that was fashionable at the time and is decorated with elaborate carvings. In the carvings, the builder demonstrates extensive knowledge of the Bible. More than 20 figures are depicted, mainly female figures from the Old Testament. The putti on the capitals symbolise the Christian virtues of faith, love and hope, and the famous judgement of Solomon can be seen on the cornice of the cabinet. With its size and preciousness, the cabinet is an exciting testament to Hanseatic wealth.

Augustin Lavik, Annual Intern Conservation Furniture and Wooden Objects

Nahaufnahme eines Holzkopfes, eine Gesichtshälfte ist ein Totenkopf, die andere ein junger Mann.

„Memento Mori“, Niederlande, um 1650, Buchsbaum, MK&G

Quatrefoil head Memento Mori

In the European Decorative Arts and Sculpture Collection, a small, finely crafted object always catches my eye: the quatrefoil head made of boxwood around 1650 reminds the viewer of the inseparability of life and death in its function as a "Memento Mori": the face of a child, a woman, a man and a skull on the four sides of the head symbolise the inexorable course of our precious lifetime. The head reminds us that we should no longer wait to shape our lives, but do what makes life our own. The head of four shows me that everything is already there, that I bring with me from birth, that everything is pre-drawn. My task is to find out what exactly that is, what my place is in the big picture. The millennia-long process by which humanity has created cultures and continually evolved seems to me powerless in the face of its own origin, nature itself. We are human beings. We live, breathe, pass away. No more and no less. And it is precisely this that gives us the freedom to draw from the full in harmony with being human.

Dominik Nürenberg, Communication

Gliedermann, Monogrammist I.P., Passau, um 1525, MK&G

Gliedermann

When I look into our Gliedermann's wooden eyes, at his imposing beard and curly hair, I recognise a man I used to meet regularly ages ago in the pampas of central Hesse. A childhood figure slowly fading from memory. "Bagger-Hans", probably around 40 at the time, was an illustrious, ever-singing friend of my grandpa's, and, as his nickname suggests, a digger driver. Hans and the man with the limbs are practically twins. In front of the display case, I ponder whether the mysterious "I.P." who carved the limb figure almost exactly half a millennium ago (!) also had a real person in mind. A friend, perhaps? His teacher, or someone he was in love with? But probably he was an anonymous ideal figure who was supposed to teach the inquisitive something about the body and its proportions. Or was the little wooden figure perhaps an aid for the painters, like today's figures with limbs? Or even a children's toy, the Ken for the 16th century Barbies? Wasn't I supposed to have found out more about that a long time ago? Anyway, for me he can remain the ancestor of Bagger-Hans.

Dennis Conrad, curator, exhibitions and projects

Ein Bezoarsteini in einer goldenen Fassung.

Amulett mit Bezoarstein, Deutschland, 17. Jh., Bezoar mit Goldfiligranfassung, MK&G

Amulet with bezoar stone

The bezoar stone set in gilded silver is an enigmatic object in many respects. In 1952 it was acquired from the collection of Johannes Jantzen. Since the Bremen lawyer and art dealer collaborated with the Nazi regime, the origin of the bezoar was researched in order to rule out an unfair acquisition. But its history could not be clarified until now. An orange triangle now indicates that it is being examined as part of the provenance research at the MK&G. Bezoars have been said to have secret powers since the Middle Ages. They are supposed to protect against poisons in food. This effect is derived from their formation. The bezoars, also known as stomach stones, bind indigestible food residues in the stomachs of ruminants. When the clumps are disgorged, they dry out like stones. The name bezoar is derived from the Persian "padzahr", the word for antidote. The particularly large stones probably come from the Middle East and originate from camels. From the 16th century onwards, they were polished or precious set as collector's items in the art chambers. The bezoar in the MK&G has an eyelet and can also be worn around the neck on a chain for protection.

Dr. Silke Reuther, Provenance Research

Janus, Mars und Minerva, Giovanni Battista Foggini, Florenz, um 1710/15, Bronze, MK&G

Sculpture group Janus, Mars and Minerva

"I am more interested in the future than in the past, for I intend to live in it." This sentence by Albert Einstein comes to mind when I look at the sculpture group. Janus, the god with two faces, one young, the other marked by age, is omnipresent. Uniting youth and age, he symbolises past and future, beginning and end. Minerva kneels before him. Is she, the patron goddess of war, wisdom and the arts, mourning the past? Or does she hope for an answer from the aged Janus in order to be able to avert an imminent danger? In contrast, Mars, the god of war and violence, stands in front of Janus in a confident pose, without even glancing at him. Undeterred, he pursues his brute warfare, but is in competition with Minerva. For she embodies intelligence and strategy, qualities that have already helped her to prevail against Mars. What I find fascinating is not only the realisation of the ancient myth, but also the topicality of the baroque sculpture. We should all learn from the past and make the right decision that we can live with in the future.

Franziska Schmottlach, Intern European Decorative Arts and Sculpture Collection

Eine Keramik-Schüssel mit aufwändiger Bemalung.

Schüssel (piatto da pompa) mit Mannalese aus dem Service von Isabella d’Este, Nicola da Urbino, Mantua, 1524, MK&G, Public Domain

Digital Storytelling

A bowl tells its story

As part of a project to make the European Decorative Arts and Sculpture Collection digitally accessible, new experimental ways of mediation were explored with the support of the ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS. Using the example of an iconic bowl from the majolica service of Isabella d'Este, various types of digital storytelling were created: an online exhibition as scrollytelling via Google Arts & Culture, object study in 3D and AR/VR via Sketchfab, an interactive chat using artificial intelligence and an AI-generated podcast.

Google Arts & Culture The bowl in 3D Chatbot

AI podcast: