Sebastian Köpcke (*1967), Volker Weinhold (*1962) | Photographers
Ralf Thomas, an electrical mechanic and heating installer from Dresden, occupied himself intensively in his leisure time with the Erzgebirge and its mining tradition. In the 1980s, he became a member of the wood processing circle “Holzwürmer” (Woodworms) at the TU Dresden. He participated in exhibitions in the Haus der Heimat in Freital (Burgk) as well as in the trade fair halls at the Fučíkplatz (Straßburger Platz) in Dresden and in the Lohgerber Museum in Dippoldiswalde.
The objects of Ralf Thomas in the collection of the Volkskunstmuseum mostly require little space; some only have the dimensions of a box of matches, similar to this small artwork.
The hobby artist from Dresden was equally fascinated by the small and the large. The large is in this case the Annaberger Bergaltar, on which the artist Hans Hesse represented the mining and processing of ore in around 1521. The original altar in Annaberg is several metres in size. The version by Ralf Thomas is only a few centimetres.
Diminution and reduction to the essential were the goals of the hobby artist Ralf Thomas. It is true that accuracy suffered somewhat in this version. However, those who are familiar with the pictorial representations of the original are quite capable of reading the scenes in this tiny object above and below ground.
Ralf Thomas (1947-2010)
MATERIAL & TECHNIQUE
H 3.2 x W 2.6 x D 0.7 cm
DIMENSIONS
wood, sawed, carved, painted
MUSEUM
Museum für Sächsische Volkskunst
PLACE, DATING
Dresden, 1990-2005
INVENTORY NUMBER
G 12366