She rises thirteen feet from the water a giant woman at rest. This is Die Badende the Bather. She’s an imposing sight a twenty-ton bronze sculpture gracing Hamburg’s Inner Alster Lake. For ten days she was a floating marvel a temporary resident of this beloved lake.
The Bather is more than just a pretty face. Created by German sculptor Oliver Voss she’s actually a clever advertisement for Soap & Glory. The company used this massive sculpture to celebrate the art of bathing. Tourists flocked to the lake renting paddleboats for a closer look. The sculpture made quite a splash. Some even saw her as a bit of an eyesore.
Die Badende is sixty-seven feet long. She’s a comfortable sight with knees drawn up. Yet she caused quite the navigational challenge for boaters. This huge sculpture created a memorable moment in Hamburg’s history a playful giant briefly disrupting the usual calm of the Inner Alster.
Imagine the scene. The sun on the water. People craning their necks to admire this unusual work of art. The gentle lapping of water against her bronze form. It must have been spectacular. After her ten-day stay a crane lifted her from the lake. Soap & Glory promised to have a giant towel ready. A fitting end for a temporary queen of the Inner Alster. The story of Frauenakt remains a unique chapter in Hamburg’s artistic landscape. A tale of temporary beauty and unexpected marketing genius.