At first glance, this bench appears to be a typical example of Classicism: elements such as the fluted balusters, surrounded by acanthus leaves, which form the front part of the armrests, have already been discussed several times in the course of this tour. Likewise, the floral rosettes, meander motifs and disc friezes refer back to the architecture of Antiquity. Remarkable exceptions are the struts of the armrests, which are reminiscent of the tracery of Gothic cathedral windows.
The famous Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz demonstrates that late medieval and ancient forms are not mutually exclusive, as the Gotisches Haus and the Classicist palace there were constructed according to the designs of the same architect, Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff, both during the 1770s. Immediately prior to this, Strawberry Hill, the country residence of Horace Walpole (1717-1797) in Twickenham near London, was completed. Along with the palaces of Venice, it is regarded as the most important source of inspiration for the revival of interest in the Gothic style. Trade catalogues such as the Journal des Luxus und der Moden or the Magazin für Freunde des guten Geschmacks soon offered examples of furnishings in the neo-Gothic style to an increasingly interested readership.
Unfortunately, the original context of the present bench is not certain. Most likely made by a Saxon cabinetmaker around 1800, it was transferred to the Dresden State Art Collections from Schönfeld Castle and Manor (located in the district of Meissen) after the end of the Second World War. The castle, with origins in the thireteenth century, was the seat of the Dathe von Burgk family. Maximilian Dathe von Burgk (1853-1931) had it rebuilt in the neo-Renaissance style during the 1880s. Whether the bench belonged to the furnishings there or was brought to the castle from other estates of the family cannot be clarified at present.
Text: Alexander Röstel