Beneath the gaze of King Johann, history unfolds. Here before us stands the bronze equestrian Statue of King Johann. It graces Dresden’s Theaterplatz. Imagine this square in 1889. The Wettin dynasty celebrated its 800th anniversary. King Albert dedicated this statue to King Johann.
King Johann ruled Saxony from 1854 to 1873. But this statue is more than a memorial to his reign. It’s a point de vue. It stands at the intersection of the Semper Opera House and the Semper Gallery.
Johannes Schilling created the Statue of King Johann. He completed the models in May 1888. Schilling also designed the Semper Opera House quadriga. C. Albert Bierling’s foundry cast the bronze statue. Karl Weißbach and Carl Barth designed the base.
The statue shows King Johann in his coronation robes. He wears a general’s uniform. The king holds a scepter. His head is bare. His expression is mild.
The base is 1.75 meters high. It features relief sculptures. These represent agriculture, forestry, trade, and commerce. Notice Mercury, the god of trade. See the miner, the boatman, and the fisherman. Above them stands Prosperity with a cornucopia.
On the Zwinger side, find Nature. She is surrounded by symbols of fertility. See the wine growing, sheep breeding, and fruit growing. Also note the girl fetching water.
The Elbe side depicts Mercury and Prosperity. Look for mining, raw materials, and book trade. Spot the telegraph messenger and the steam locomotive. See the Elbe River with its boats and bridges.
The corners display art and military power. The other side shows science and industry. Art is represented by dance, theater, poetry, and music. Military strength features infantry, artillery, and cavalry. The city of Dresden offers a wreath. Science includes theology, law, medicine, and philosophy. Industry shows a woman with a hammer. Find a railway track and a spinning nymph.
Above this base, a three-meter postament rises. It bears the name Johann under a crown. The numbers 1822-1872 mark his golden wedding anniversary. Geniuses hold tablets with inscriptions. One reads “Be faithful unto death”. The other says “Piety and truth preserve the king.”
The back displays a book with Dante’s image. King Johann translated Dante’s Divine Comedy. It shows his reign from 1854-1873. A shield displays the year of the statue’s creation.
The statue survived Dresden’s bombings in 1945. King Johann’s reputation as a Dante translator saved it from destruction. In 2013, it underwent a thorough cleaning.
In 2015, someone attacked the statue with paint. But the Statue of King Johann stands strong. It watches over Theaterplatz. It reminds us of Saxony’s history. It links art and architecture. The Statue of King Johann remains a powerful symbol of Dresden.