Statues - Hither & Thither

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Heidelberg
Stadt Heidelberg
Baden-Württemberg

Alte Brücke

Karl Theodor von der Pfalz

Charles Theodore Count Palatine of the Rhine

Drogenbusch Palace, Brussels, 1724 - München 1799
Prince-Elector and Count Palatine (1742-1799), Prince-Elector and Duke of Bavaria (1777-1799)
(Wikipedia)

Conrad Linck
1788 (copy)

Description

Stone statue on a pedestal with four reliefs (added in 1792) and four allegorical statues represending the main rivers in Karl Theodor's lands: Rhine and Danube as male river gods, and Moselle and Isar as female goddesses (thus the Neckar is not represented).

East (Front): Relief with coat of arms of Prince-Elector Karl Theodor and statue of a river god.
South: Relief representing the unification of Bavaria and the Palatinate (two putti and a crown) and statue of a river goddess
West: Relief commemorating the 50th anniversary of Karl Theodor (invisible) and a statue of a river god.
North: Relief of Minerva as patroness of the university of Heidelberg (she lights a torch hold by two putti) and statue of a river goddess

Inscription(s)

palatinorum patri,
CAROLO THEODORO;
hoc pietatis monumentum posuit
senatus populusque heidelbergensis
ao mdcclxxxviii.

For the father of the Palatinate,
Karl Theodor
this pious monument was placed
by the senate and the people of Heidelberg
in the year 1788

Signed: c. linck. inv lr fecit

Annotation

Karl Theodor had the old wooden bridge which was destroyed by a storm rebuilt in stone, 1784. The other statue on the bridge, the goddess Minerva, was also placed in honor of the Prince-Elector.

The original statue is in the Kurpfälzische Museum.

Sculptor

Franz Conrad Linck (Speyer 1730 - Mannheim 1793), German sculptor (Wikipedia).

Sources & Information

Heidelberg Marketing, Sehenswürdigkeiten.
Wikipedia, Alte Brücke (Heidelberg).

Locatie (N 49°24'49" - E 8°42'34") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: debw046; Photograph: 26 September 2011
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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