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A unique metal Beuron sculpture

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A unique, metal Beuron sculpture stood on the roof of the entrance to the abbey church of St Gabriel (Annunciation) in Smíchov. It was over two meters high and symbolized the name of

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adjoining female Benedictine monastery. During their forced departure from Prague in 1919, the Sisters of the Benedictine Monastery of St. Gabriel took the statue with them to the new location, Bertholdstein castle in Austria.

There stood a statue of the Archangel Gabriel on a meter-high pedestal in front of the entrance to the castle monastery. The statue was a gray color and as shown by analysis of a sample of the original statue in 2012, had probably bee white-washed by the initial adverse outdoor conditions.

After the sale of the Bertholdstein castle monastery in 2008, the sisters again took the statue of the Archangel Gabriel away with them to the newly-built monastery in St. Johann Herberstein, about fifty kilometers from Bertholdstein. The statue was partially repaired and the top painted a red-brown hue.

Thanks to the kind permission granted by the Benedictine nuns and the granting of copyright allowing the duplication of the statues, The Friends of the Beuron Arts was able to obtain the financial support of Prague's City Hall for copies of the statue of the Archangel Gabriel. This should once again draw attention to the original dedication of the monastery.

For understandable reasons, the Sisters have not allowed statues to be scanned from the original prints of sculptures because zinc is so susceptible to corrosion that it could lead to further damage and the subsequent disappearance of mainly red-top paint sculptures.

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In 2008, restorer Karel Holub worked on repairing the lattice PAX, which had been returned to Prague from Bertholdstein. Along with his son, sculptor Petr Holub, they had to measure the original statues, take photos and videos, including detailing and calculation in accordance with the Beuron canon.

The result of a sample analysis of the original statue showed that the material composition (98% zinc, 1.8% Pb, 0.2% Sn, 0.11% Fe, 0.01% Cu, 0.06% Cd) corresponded to the material prepared using zinc sculptures, especially in Germany in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The sculptures placed in the exterior were coated using a system which provided both decorative and anti-corrosion features. From a sample of the original sculpture, it was determined that the original surface was first sprayed with gray primer. A white top, tinted in the folds so as to support the plasticity of the statues was then added as a top cover. From the sample and from published studies of 19th and 20th century Beuron statues, we can conclude that the halo, insignia and outer edge of the table were gold-plated. The statue was apparently made from wrought and cast parts. It is most likely that parts of the statue such as the head, hands, and feet were cast.

The statue is made of 2 mm thick copper plate engraved and numbered individual parts. The parts were soldered together and mounted on a silver frame made of stainless steel. A copy of the statue was completed in 2012, but won't be fitted to its original position until the roof over the entrance to the church is repaired .

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After the sale of the monastery of St. Gabriel in 1919 the new owner, the Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs, placed it with the monastic Garden 0f Eden in the Beuron style. We would like to thank the Czech Postal Servie, the current administrator, for providing this special site for the consecration copy of the statue.

By Monica Šebová, President of the Society of Friends 0f the Beuron Arts

návrh vchodu do opatského kostela Sv. Gabriela

portikus, grafický list

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klášter Sv. Gabriela, grafický list

Sv. Gabriel-Rajská zahrada kolem 1895

zastrešená rajská zahrada vně

Zastřešená Rajská zahrada zevnitř

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originál sochy Herberstein Rakousko

měření sochy

míry a proporce

detail hlavy originálu

část hlavy, měď

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fotografie originálu

míra a proporce

detail hlavy originálu

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detail hlavy v mědi

detail profilu originálu

měděný profil

měděný profil

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fotografie originálu

detail ruky originálu

detail ruky z mědi

detail ruky, insignie a křídla originálu

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měděné díly

měděné díly

vrchní část anděla, originál

měděná křídla a insignie

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měděná křídla

míry sukně a nohou

chodidla a část sukně z mědi

přední a zadní část sukně, měď

nehotová měděná socha, měď

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