Do you feel the thrill of the chase frozen in time right here? This is the Hasenhetze Sculpture. It’s a glimpse into a bygone era of hunting.
The Hasenhetze Sculpture stands on Fasanerieallee. It’s in Berlin’s Tiergarten. This artwork offers a peek into history. It was created in 1904 by Max Baumbach. The sculpture is in the Neobarock style.
Picture a scene from around 1750. The Hasenhetze Sculpture captures the start of a hare coursing. A hunter points with his whip. He directs one of the dogs. The dog is a Russian Steppe Hound. Another dog strains at its leash. The “Piqueur” struggles to hold it back.
Notice the younger Piqueur on the right. He holds a hunting dog on a short leash. The dog rears up. It is eager to chase. Look at the Piqueur’s belt. A dead hare hangs there. Its legs are tied. Its head points down.
The hunters wear clothing of the mid-18th century. They look like courtly hunting people. The hunters stand with their dogs. They are on a base with natural details. The scene forms a pyramid shape. The main figure leans to the left. This distorts the shape.
The Hasenhetze Sculpture is one of a group. Each shows different hunting scenes. Kaiser Wilhelm II commissioned them. They were for the Großer Stern. This was for the Hubertus Fountain. Cuno v. Uechtritz-Steinkirch created the fountain in 1904.
In 1938, the fountain was torn down. This made way for the Victory Column. The hunting scenes were moved. They found new homes in the Tiergarten.
The Hasenhetze Sculpture suffered damage in World War II. It was restored in 1986 and 1987. The restoration included several additions. These included the head of the hunter on the right and parts of the dogs.
The sculptor’s name was lost. The foundry was also lost. But the sculpture was restored. The sculpture stands on a high base of shell limestone.
Take a moment to appreciate the Hasenhetze Sculpture. It represents a moment frozen. It is a testament to the art and history found here in Tiergarten. It connects us to Berlin’s rich past. It links us to the world of the 18th-century hunt.