Home | Friedrich August I, Der Starke
- CountryGermany
- Town:Dresden
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Year of creation:1736
- Rider(s):Friedrich August I, Der Starke
(1670-1733) Elector of Sachsen, King of Poland.
August is a legendary character, not so much as a politician. His incursion into Poland (the statue faces in the direction of Poland) led to wars and enmities that lasted for decades. His personal life was far more interesting. He is alleged to have fathered 356 little Augusts and he was uncommonly strong, apparently breaking horseshoes and metal goblets with his bare hands. More importantly, he and his son were great supporters of the arts and responsible for the famous buildings of Dresden and much of the artwork within. He was fond of porcelain, which led to the first European commercial production of porcelain art.
- Sculptor(s):Vinanche, Jean Joseph
(1696 1754)) was a French sculptor
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The statue, known as ‘The Golden Horseman” is placed at the foot of the Augustbridge over the Elbe in Dresden.
A blacksmith, Louis Wiedermann, moulded the statue in 1733 by layering heated copper over an iron frame and covering it in gold plate. It was too heavy to be placed on the bridge, so a base was made in 1735 and the statue unveiled one year later. The statue was dismantled in 1944 and hidden in cave escaping war damage and replaced in 1956.
