![Bamberger Reiter Dom Bamberg P1330479](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Bamberger_Reiter_Dom_Bamberg_P1330479.jpg)
The Bamberg Horseman (german: Der Bamberger Reiter) is an early 13th-century stone
equestrian statue
An equestrian statue is a statue of a rider mounted on a horse, from the Latin ''eques'', meaning 'knight', deriving from ''equus'', meaning 'horse'. A statue of a riderless horse is strictly an equine statue. A full-sized equestrian statue is a d ...
by an anonymous
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
sculptor in the
cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
of
Bamberg
Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castle. C ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
.
Description
Dating probably from the time before the consecration of the
cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
's new building in 1237, but after 1225, it is located on a console at the north pillar of the St. George choir, it is not known whether this is the intended position of the statue although the base appears to be original and the structure of the base would seem to dissuade moving.
Interpretation
Being located in a church and showing a crowned yet unarmed man, it is believed that it represents a specific king, perhaps one who was a saint. A candidate is
Emperor Henry II
Henry II (german: Heinrich II; it, Enrico II; 6 May 973 – 13 July 1024), also known as Saint Henry the Exuberant, Obl. S. B., was Holy Roman Emperor ("Romanorum Imperator") from 1014. He died without an heir in 1024, and was the last ruler o ...
(973-1024) who is buried in the cathedral along with
Pope Clement II
Pope Clement II ( la, Clemens II; born Suidger von Morsleben; died 9 October 1047), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 25 December 1046 until his death in 1047. He was the first in a series of reform-minded popes f ...
, but he would likely have been depicted with
Imperial Regalia
The Imperial Regalia, also called Imperial Insignia (in German ''Reichskleinodien'', ''Reichsinsignien'' or ''Reichsschatz''), are regalia of the Holy Roman Emperor. The most important parts are the Crown, the Imperial orb, the Imperial sce ...
. Another possibility is his brother-in-law, king
Stephen I of Hungary
Stephen I, also known as King Saint Stephen ( hu, Szent István király ; la, Sanctus Stephanus; sk, Štefan I. or Štefan Veľký; 975 – 15 August 1038), was the last Grand Prince of the Hungarians between 997 and 1000 or 1001, and the f ...
(975-1038) who stops his horse and looks towards the tomb of Henry. Another theory favours
Emperor Frederick II
Frederick II (German: ''Friedrich''; Italian: ''Federico''; Latin: ''Federicus''; 26 December 1194 – 13 December 1250) was King of Sicily from 1198, King of Germany from 1212, King of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor from 1220 and King of Jerusa ...
, the
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...
at the time, who financed much of the rebuilding of the cathedral. Yet another theory, supported by Hannes Möhring of the
University of Bayreuth
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
, holds that the figure represents the
Messiah
In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; ,
; ,
; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of ''mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach'' ...
according to the
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament (and consequently the final book of the Christian Bible). Its title is derived from the first word of the Koine Greek text: , meaning "unveiling" or "revelation". The Book of R ...
(19:11–16).
In 2014, an inventory of the statues in the cathedral gave rise to the theory that a project for a large sculptural screen for the eastern choir was begun and abandoned after only a few statues had been completed; two other unusual sculptures in the church fit into this proposal. According to the reconstruction, the horseman was supposed to be one of the
Three Wise Men
3 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
3, three, or III may also refer to:
* AD 3, the third year of the AD era
* 3 BC, the third year before the AD era
* March, the third month
Books
* ''Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 1901 n ...
in a scene depicting the birth of
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
, his upturned gaze following the
Star of Bethlehem
The Star of Bethlehem, or Christmas Star, appears in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew chapter 2 where "wise men from the East" (Magi) are inspired by the star to travel to Jerusalem. There, they meet King Herod of Judea, and ask him: ...
.
It is considered the first monumental equestrian statue since
classical antiquity
Classical antiquity (also the classical era, classical period or classical age) is the period of cultural history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD centred on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ...
, and also one of the first to depict a
horse shoe
A horseshoe is a fabricated product designed to protect a horse hoof from wear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface (ground side) of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall that is anatomically akin to the human toe ...
. Beneath the horse's front hooves is one of the many sculptural representations of the
Green Man
The Green Man is a legendary being primarily interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, representing the cycle of new growth that occurs every spring. The Green Man is most commonly depicted in a sculpture, or other representation of a face which is ...
.
Kathleen Basford
Kathleen Basford (6 September 1916 – 20 December 1998) was a British botanist, with a special interest in genetics. She is known for discovering a form of fuchsia that was a cross between a New Zealand and Mexican fuchsia, proving this form of ...
, in her study of these figures, calls this Green Man the "dark counterpart" of the horseman.
Stefan George
Stefan Anton George (; 12 July 18684 December 1933) was a German symbolist poet and a translator of Dante Alighieri, William Shakespeare, Hesiod, and Charles Baudelaire. He is also known for his role as leader of the highly influential literar ...
wrote a poem about the horseman. His work influenced
Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg
Colonel Claus Philipp Maria Justinian Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg (; 15 November 1907 – 21 July 1944) was a German army officer best known for his failed attempt on 20 July 1944 to assassinate Adolf Hitler at the Wolf's Lair.
Despite ...
, the would-be assassin of Hitler who was a member of the cavalry unit ''Bamberger Reiter- und Kavallerieregiment 17'' (17th Cavalry Regiment).
See also
*
List of equestrian statues in Germany
This is a list of equestrian statues in Germany.
Karlsruhe
* Memorial to Baden dragoon in World War I (''Leibdragonerdenkmal'') by close to the Mühlburger Tor.
*Emperor Wilhelm I by Adolf Heer at the Kaiserplatz, 1897
Image:Karlsruhe Leib ...
References
Further reading
* Basford, Kathleen. ''The Green Man'', D.S. Brewer (2004) .
* Dieckmann, Guido. ''Die Nacht des steinernen Reiters''. 2005. Aufbau Taschenbuch Verlag, .
* Möhring, Hannes. ''König der Könige. Der Bamberger Reiter in neuer Interpretation''. Königstein im Taunus, 2004. Langewiesche-Verlag, .
External links
Cathedral website (German)
{{Authority control
1230s works
Gothic sculptures
German sculpture
Equestrian statues in Germany
13th-century sculptures
Buildings and structures in Bamberg
Anonymous works
Stone sculptures in Germany