A unique metal Beuron sculpture

A unique metal Beuron sculpture
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A unique, metal Beuron sculpture stood on the roof of the entrance to the abbey church of St
Gabriel (Annunciation) in Smíchov. It was over two meters high and symbolized the name of
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A unique metal Beuron sculpture
adjoining female Benedictine monastery. During their forced departure from Prague in 1919, the
Sisters of the Benedictine Monastery of St. Gabriel took the statue with them to the new
location, Bertholdstein castle in Austria.
There stood a statue of the Archangel Gabriel on a meter-high pedestal in front of the entrance
to the castle monastery. The statue was a gray color and as shown by analysis of a sample of
the original statue in 2012, had probably bee white-washed by the initial adverse outdoor
conditions.
After the sale of the Bertholdstein castle monastery in 2008, the sisters again took the statue of
the Archangel Gabriel away with them to the newly-built monastery in St. Johann Herberstein,
about fifty kilometers from Bertholdstein. The statue was partially repaired and the top painted a
red-brown hue.
Thanks to the kind permission granted by the Benedictine nuns and the granting of copyright
allowing the duplication of the statues, The Friends of the Beuron Arts was able to obtain the
financial support of Prague's City Hall for copies of the statue of the Archangel Gabriel. This
should once again draw attention to the original dedication of the monastery.
For understandable reasons, the Sisters have not allowed statues to be scanned from the
original prints of sculptures because zinc is so susceptible to corrosion that it could lead to
further damage and the subsequent disappearance of mainly red-top paint sculptures.
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A unique metal Beuron sculpture
In 2008, restorer Karel Holub worked on repairing the lattice PAX, which had been returned to
Prague from Bertholdstein. Along with his son, sculptor Petr Holub, they had to measure the
original statues, take photos and videos, including detailing and calculation in accordance with
the Beuron canon.
The result of a sample analysis of the original statue showed that the material composition (98%
zinc, 1.8% Pb, 0.2% Sn, 0.11% Fe, 0.01% Cu, 0.06% Cd) corresponded to the material
prepared using zinc sculptures, especially in Germany in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The sculptures placed in the exterior were coated using a system which provided both
decorative and anti-corrosion features. From a sample of the original sculpture, it was
determined that the original surface was first sprayed with gray primer. A white top, tinted in the
folds so as to support the plasticity of the statues was then added as a top cover. From the
sample and from published studies of 19th and 20th century Beuron statues, we can conclude
that the halo, insignia and outer edge of the table were gold-plated. The statue was apparently
made from wrought and cast parts. It is most likely that parts of the statue such as the head,
hands, and feet were cast.
The statue is made of 2 mm thick copper plate engraved and numbered individual parts. The
parts were soldered together and mounted on a silver frame made of stainless steel. A copy of
the statue was completed in 2012, but won't be fitted to its original position until the roof over
the entrance to the church is repaired
.
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A unique metal Beuron sculpture
After the sale of the monastery of St. Gabriel in 1919 the new owner, the Ministry of Posts and
Telegraphs, placed it with the monastic Garden 0f Eden in the Beuron style. We would like to
thank the Czech Postal Servie, the current administrator, for providing this special site for the
consecration copy of the statue.
By Monica Šebová, President of the Society of Friends 0f the Beuron Arts
návrh vchodu do opatského kostela Sv. Gabriela
portikus, grafický list
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A unique metal Beuron sculpture
klášter Sv. Gabriela, grafický list
Sv. Gabriel-Rajská zahrada kolem 1895
zastrešená rajská zahrada vně
Zastřešená Rajská zahrada zevnitř
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A unique metal Beuron sculpture
originál sochy Herberstein Rakousko
měření sochy
míry a proporce
detail hlavy originálu
část hlavy, měď
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A unique metal Beuron sculpture
fotografie originálu
míra a proporce
detail hlavy originálu
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A unique metal Beuron sculpture
detail hlavy v mědi
detail profilu originálu
měděný profil
měděný profil
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A unique metal Beuron sculpture
fotografie originálu
detail ruky originálu
detail ruky z mědi
detail ruky, insignie a křídla originálu
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A unique metal Beuron sculpture
měděné díly
měděné díly
vrchní část anděla, originál
měděná křídla a insignie
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A unique metal Beuron sculpture
měděná křídla
míry sukně a nohou
chodidla a část sukně z mědi
přední a zadní část sukně, měď
nehotová měděná socha, měď
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A unique metal Beuron sculpture
nehotová měděná socha, měď
nehotová měděná socha, měď
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