After 80 years of absence, Theodor von Gosen’s sculpture – an allegory of justice, wealth and power of the city – was regained by the city hall. It was contributed as a long-term deposit by the National Museum.
At 2 p.m., it appeared on the plinth at the curve of stairs leading to the Great Room in the City Hall. The lifting and positioning of the 50-kilogram bronze sculpture took a couple of minutes.
Everyone will watch the sculpture
Gosen’s work was created in 1910 upon the order of Wroclaw councillors. It presents a putto with a sword and a basket of fruit. It is interesting to note that the putto has the facial features of von Gosen’s son Marcus, who was born three years later. In 1934, the sculpture was taken away during repair and maintenance works and was contributed to the museum already before the war. It survived the Festung Breslau and was stored in the collection of the National Museum in 1948.
For many years, the Director of the City Museum made attempts to bring back Gosen’s work to the city hall. In 1994, it was borrowed from the National Museum, but the latter reclaimed the sculpture in 2007.
Now every inhabitant of Wroclaw can watch it without obstacles and for free. Entrance to all permanent exhibitions in city museums is free.
”The return of van Gosen’s work is particularly important to us because this work was created specially for the city hall and has always been there. There is no better place for it”, says enthusiastically Ewa Pluta, spokesperson for the City Museum.
In Wroclaw, it is also possible to watch other outstanding works by Gosen, such as Cupid on Pegasus in the Nicolaus Copernicus Park and the statue of Iustitia in front of the entrance to the court building.
Eliza Głowicka
