Gazing at the Brunnen Knabe mit Ball, I wonder about the story it could tell. This charming fountain features a boy with a ball. It is located on the Spielwiese Waldgarten near Regensbergstrasse and Binzwiesenstrasse.
The Brunnen Knabe mit Ball was created by Emil Schäfer and Adolf Ernst Hofmann. The city of Zurich acquired it in 1944. The Brunnen Knabe mit Ball is inventoried under the number 1383-00. The fountain’s creation dates back to 1944. The artwork is made from aluminum and Verzasca granite. The Brunnen Knabe mit Ball dimensions are 69.0 x 181.0 x 181.0 cm.
Now I will tell you about another fountain in Zurich. This one is called Zierbrunnen Knabe mit Aal. The Zierbrunnen Knabe mit Aal is listed as number 423 in the Zurich Fountain Guide. The architects Gebrüder A and H Oeschger designed the Schulhaus Kappeli. They were responsible for the fountain project. Sculptor Otto Schilt created the fountain. It was inaugurated in 1937 with the schoolhouse. The bronze figure is on a pedestal in the middle of the shell. It shows a kneeling boy. He holds an eel in his right hand. He makes a defensive gesture with his left.
Emil Lörtscher was a secondary school student. He served as a model for Zierbrunnen Knabe mit Aal. He received one Swiss franc per session hour. Later, he became a locomotive driver. He bought a bicycle with the money. The round fountain shell sits on a base. It is made of Segheria granite. Giocondo Clivio’s company delivered it.
While the Zierbrunnen Knabe mit Aal depicts a boy with an eel, the Brunnen Knabe mit Ball shows a boy with a ball. Both fountains add to the artistic landscape of Zurich. The Brunnen Knabe mit Ball offers free access to the public. It allows everyone to enjoy the art. The fountain is a part of Zurich’s public art collection. It provides a refreshing break. It enhances the beauty of Waldgarten. The Brunnen Knabe mit Ball invites us to appreciate art.