
Monuments Class Projects
Architect/Sculptor of Monument
Christian Daniel Rauch
Preview

Identifier
06a
Medium
Photograph, carte-de-viste
Keywords
Frederick the Great Statue, Frederick the Great equestrian, Frederick the Great Berlin, Berlin, Germany, Prussia, Frederick II of Prussia, Europe- Prussia, Europe- Germany, Prussian Monarchy, 1851, Neoclassicism, Christian Daniel Rauch, Rauch statue
Physical Dimensions
60mmx90mm
Date of Publication
1865
Date of Publication
1865
Name of Monument
Equestrian Statue of Frederick the Great
Date of Completion or Dedication of Monument
Spring 5-31-1851
City of Monument
Berlin
Location within City
Unter der Linden
State/Province of Monument
Berlin
Country of Monument
Germany
Description
A carte-de-visite photograph of a neoclassic equestrian statue of Frederick II of Prussia “Frederick the Great” located on Unter den Linden boulevard in Berlin, Germany. The large bronze statue, commissioned by Frederick Wilhelm III and sculpted by Christian Daniel Rauch, was unveiled in 1851. Photograph is from 1865
School of Art/Architecture
Neoclassical Sculpture
Digital Date
1-19-2022
Copyright
Original physical carte-de-viste is in the public domain. Digital copy scanned by Rod Library, ©2022 Rod Library, University of Northern Iowa.
Rights Advisory
Original print carte-de-visite card is in the public domain; U.S. and International copyright laws protect this digital object. Commercial use of this digital object is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
File Format
image/jpeg
Comments
Background:
The statue commemorates King Frederick II of Prussia (1712-1786), known as Frederick the Great, who reigned from 1740 to 1786. The monument was commissioned by King Frederick William III in 1835. It was designed and sculpted by Christian Daniel Rauch (1777-1857), who took 16 years to complete the monument, finishing it in 1851. (Cheney, Eggers and Eggers, 253) The dedication and unveiling took place on May 31st, 1851, the anniversary of Frederick II taking the throne on that day in 1740. (“Inauguration”,Times, 5) The granite base and bronze statue is located in Berlin, Germany on Unter den Linden, a central boulevard in Berlin. It stands 44 feet tall, with a 25 foot pedestal and 17 foot statue. (Shedd, 248) The timing of the unveiling aligned with a wave of Prussian and German nationalism, and the Prussian people viewed Frederick as the greatest leader in German history, a symbol of pride and strength. Within a decade, Prussia would begin “unifying Germany” through various wars in the 1860’s. To protect the statue during World War II, it was encased in concrete before being taken down in pieces and placed in storage. It was reassembled in 1962.(Rodemann, 1951) It was returned to its original location on Unter den Linden, facing the Royal Palace, in the 1980’s after West Germany softened its stance on Prussian heritage.(Elkins, 10) The statue has Frederick the Great seated atop a horse, and features realistic detailing. The large pedestal has several distinct sections with detailed bas-reliefs and carvings. The lower part of the base has four reliefs representing the life of Frederick the Great, including his childhood, his military career, reign as king and death. (Cheney, Eggers and Eggers, 257) The middle section of the base includes standing figures of 31 influential military leaders and statesmen during Frederick’s reign. Each corner has a carved figure of a woman representing the four Cardinal Virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. (Times, 5) The monument follows the Neoclassical school, evident in the symmetry seen in the base with the four virtue figures, one for each corner, the four bas reliefs on the four sides, the large scale of the monument, and the depiction of historical events and persons. In Germany, Frederick the Great is seen as a hero, symbol of national pride, and a role model.
Sources:
Cheney, Ednah D., Karl Eggers, and Friedrich Eggers. “ Monument to Frederic the Great.” In Life of Christian Daniel Rauch of Berlin, Germany. 251-265. Boston: Lee and Shepard, 1893. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc2.ark:/13960/t9f47kc1s
"Inauguration Of The Statue Of Frederick The Great." Times (London), June 4, 1851, 6. The Times Digital Archive (accessed February 18, 2022). https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS100959428/TTDA?u=uni_rodit&sid=bookmark-TTDA&xid=25c131b6.
Shedd, Julia A. Famous Sculptors and Sculptures in Antiquity. 248. Boston: J.R. Osgood and Company, 1881. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/wu.89057253833
"Das Denkmal Friedrichs des Großen", in Das Berliner Schloss und sein Untergang. Ein Bildbericht über die Zerstörung Berliner Kulturdenkmäler, ed. Karl Rodemann, Berlin: Tauber, 1951,
T. H. Elkins with B. Hofmeister, Berlin: The Spatial Structure of a Divided City, London/New York: Methuen, 1988, ISBN 9780416922202, p. 11 (digital ed. p. 10).