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Berlin
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Grosser Tiergarten
(Lennéstraße)

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

Kamenz 1729 - Braunschweig 1781
German writer, philosopher, dramatist, publicist, and art critic
(Wikipedia)
Otto Lessing
1890

Berlin /  Gotthold Ephraim Lessing   Berlin /  Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

Description

Three meter tall marble statue of the young Lessing in his left hand holding an open book. It stands on a 4 m high granite pedestal, with on the front and back two allegorical scultptures:
  1. (front) The Genius of Humanity - a sitting young man with blazing sacrificial bowl, harp and laurel wreath, plus a tablet with an essential quote from the ring parable of Lessing's play Nathan der Weise (III, 7 line 2040-2053).
  2. (back) The Allegory of Criticism - a winged boy, brandishing a whip surrounded by books, scrolls, and a lion's skin and accompanied by an owl, the symbol of wisdom.

Berlin - Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
I
Berlin - Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
II
Berlin - Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
II
On three sides are bronze relief portraits of
  1. Friedrich Nicolai (Berlin 1733 - Berlin 1811), the writer and publisher (Wikipedia).
  2. Moses Mendelssohn (Dessau 1729 - Berlin 1786), the philosopher (Wikipedia).
  3. Ewald von Kleist (Gut Zeblin near Bubitz 1715 - Frankfurt an der Oder 1759), poet (Wikipedia).

Berlin - Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
1
Berlin - Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
2
Berlin - Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
3
Left and right of the monument were small bronze fountain bowls, with water-spouting dolphins shaped as grotesques.

Inscription(s)

gotthold
ephraim
LESSING

On the tablet:

— Wohlan!
Es eifre jeder seiner unbestochnen
Von Vorurtheilen freyen Liebe nach!
Es strebe von euch jeder um die Wette,
Die Kraft des Steins in seinem Ring' an Tag
Zu legen! komme dieser Kraft mit Sanftmuth,
Mit herzlicher Verträglichkeit, mit Wohlthun,
Mit innigster Ergebenheit in Gott
Zu Hülf'! Und wenn sich dann der Steine Kräfte
Bey euern Kindes-Kindeskindern äussern:
So lad' ich über tausend tausend Jahre,
Sie wiederum vor diesen Stuhl. Da wird
Ein weisrer Mann auf diesem Stuhle sitzen
Als ich; und sprechen.

Annotation

The sculptor Otto Lessing was related to Gotthold Ephraim Lessing.

Sculptor

Sources & Information

Tags

  • Criticism (allegory)
  • Humanity (genius)
  • Kleist, Ewald von
  • Lessing, Gotthold Ephraim
  • Lessing, Otto
  • Mendelssohn, Moses
  • Nicolai, Friedrich
  • Philosopher
  • Publisher
  • Statue (man)
  • Writer / poet
  • Locatie (N 52°30'43" - E 13°22'29") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

    Item Code: debe041; Photograph: 10 August 2013
    Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
    If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
    © Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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