ÖZKD LXXVIII 2024 Heft 3, pp. 21-32, 2025/01/29
Und sie stehen noch
Zum Umgang mit mittelalterlicher Bauplastik
Historic monument preservation is not the only scenario where architectural sculptures and other works of art are handled according to objective requirements and subjective perception: a new history of such works also begins when they are taken out of their architectural and artistic contexts and placed in museums. A museum is caught in a constant conflict between doing justice to the creator’s original intention and telling the story of the object itself, which has since become altered and damaged. Simultaneously conveying that separation of its history before it was acquired and how it has changed in the context of the collection remains challenging. By removing the sculpture from its original location, this part of its history often fades into the background at the museum. It’s hard for the curator to take all perspectives into account. Where these decisions of the presentation in the museum ensemble could guide the viewer’s perception, and what is ultimately conveyed, will be explained using five examples from the sculpture collection of the State Museums in Berlin.
Keywords: Sculptures made of stone in the museum. Origin – restoration – presentation
