Statues - Hither & Thither

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Kempten (Allgäu)
Stadt Kempten
Bayern

Sankt-Mang-Platz

Sankt-Mang-Brunnen

Saint-Magnus-Fountain

St. Magnus of Füssen
(8th century)
missionary saint in southern Germany, also known as the Apostle of the Allgäu
(Wikipedia).

Georg Wrba
1905

Description

Fountain covered with a canopy and adorned with a number of sculptures.

In the center, under the canopy

Kempten (Allgäu) - Sankt-Mang-Brunnen
1

St. Magnus of Füssen; Deviating from the traditional representation of the saint Wrba shows him as a young man in a short robe, as "Christian Siegfried". In one hand he holds a crucifix, the other is raised in benediction.
The statue stands on a small column with faucets, placed in a circular fountain basin with on the edge the inscription:
anno domini 1905 errichtet under der regierung des prinz-regenten luitpold
This small basin is carried by ten(?) nymphs

Around the large fountains basin, at the columns of the canopy, are bronze sculptures of animals with riders, boys with animal legs and feet, symbolic of the four elements. Under each of the animal heads mascarons are carved into the stone. Out of the mouths of these masks a jet of water flows into a small basin.

2
3
Feuer / Fire: Einhorn / Unicorn, ridden by a boy with hooves ('faun'), holding his knees.
Water: Hirsch / Stag, ridden by a boy with fins ('young merman'), blowing a conch.

4
5
Luft / Air: Hirschkuh / Hind, ridden by a boy with bird claws, holding a bird in his hand.
Erde / Earth: Steinbock / Alpine ibex, ridden by a boy with human feet, holding a bow (?) in his hands.
On top of the baldachin:

6
A putto holding the coat of arms of Bavaria.
On the four columns are gargoyles representing various animals:

7. Fledermaus - Bat

8. Hase - Hare

9. Vogel? - Bird?

10. Frosch - Frog

The vaulted ceiling over the Magnus statue is painted with dense foliage and four coat of arms, the German imperial coat of arms and the coat of arms of Bavaria, Augsburg and Kempten. In addition to flowers can be seen in tendrils see the following animals.: squirrels, jays, tit, green woodpecker, chaffinch.

Inscription(s)

errichtet avs einer zvwendvng
des bayr- staates vnd einem
vermaechtnisse des herrn
christian marco calgeer
bvergers von kempten

and some other unreadbale inscriptions.

Information Sign

SANKT-MANG-BRUNNEN

Jugenstilbrunnen, 1905, von Georg Wrba,
München, mit St. Magnus, dem Apostel
des Allgäu als Kreuzbringer.
Auf Tieren sitzende Knaben und Faune
verkörpern die vier Elemente, Symbole
göttlicher Kraft und Gnade.
Im 8. Jh. bekehrten die irischen Mönche
Magnus und Theodor als Sendboten des
Klosters St. Gallen die hier ansässigen
Alemannen zum Christentum.

Kempten (Allgäu) - Sankt-Mang-Brunnen

Sculptor

Georg Wrba (München 1872 - Dresden 1939), German sculptor (Wikipedia).

Sources & Information

Wikipedia, St.-Mang-Brunnen.
Helmuth Hüttl, Brunnen: in Kempten und im Allgäu (Google Books).

Location (N 47°43'31" - E 10°19'11")

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Item Code: deby313; Photograph: 7 October 2014
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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