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Rhine Water Fountain

Rhine Water Fountain, also known as the Father Rhine Fountain, was created by Adolf von Hildebrand for the city of Strasbourg and financed by the Strasbourg notary Sigismund Reinhard. It was inaugurated in front of the municipal theatre, but the bronze statue of the god Rhénus was not well received by Strasbourg residents because of its swaying pose and laughter. The fountain became the subject of much ridicule and humorous postcards. The entire fountain was dismantled in 1919, and the bronze statue was transferred in 1929 to Munich in exchange for another work from Strasbourg’s Saint-Étienne Square. The fountain was inaugurated again in Munich in 1932, where an inscription records the transfer.

Rhine Water Fountain sculpture with two figures seated on a fish-like creature above a shallow pool.
The Rhine Water Fountain shows two figures seated on a fish-like creature above a shallow pool, with trees and buildings in the background.
August 2013 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Rhine Water Fountain sculpture with two youthful figures and a large fish-like creature, with red inscription on the base.
Rhine Water Fountain showing two youthful figures and a fish-like creature on a light stone base with an inscription.
© · CC BY-SA 2.5
Rhine Water Fountain bronze statue of a bearded man holding a spear and fish beside a pedestal inscribed Argentorato
The Rhine Water Fountain shows a bronze bearded figure with a spear and fish on a carved stone pedestal.
September 2014 © · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Argentorato inscription on the Rhine Water Fountain, framed by grape clusters, vine leaves, and ornate carvings.
Detail of the Rhine Water Fountain showing the Argentorato inscription with decorative vine reliefs.
© · Public domain
Mural inspired by the Rhine Water Fountain showing two cherubic figures riding a spotted pink fish over green hills with a city skyline behind them.
A playful mural reinterpretation of the Rhine Water Fountain, with cherubic figures riding a pink fish across a painted landscape.
November 2023 © · CC0

Identification

TitleRhine Water Fountain
StyleNeo-Baroque
Alternative namesFather Rhine Fountain; Fountain of Father Rhine; Vater-Rhein-Brunnen; Reinhardsbrunnen; Fontana padre Reno; Reinhard's Fountain

Historical context

Creation date1897–1903
Original settingBroglie Square (Broglieplatz), Strasbourg, in front of the municipal theater
Former location perioduntil 1919
Historical context at creationStrasbourg was part of the German Reich during the design period

Creator

ArtistAdolf von Hildebrand
Artist life dates1847–1921
Artist originMunich sculptor
PatronSigismund Reinhard, a Strasbourg Alsatian notary

Discovery and provenance

Transfer arranged byFritz Beblo, Strasbourg’s master builder and city building councillor
Exchanged forthe Meiselocker (Bird Seller) fountain figure by Alsatian artist Ernst Weber
Transferred to Munich1929
Transfer out of StrasbourgDismantled in 1919 after Strasbourg passed to France at the end of World War I, amid anti-German sentiment

Location and ownership

Current locationMuseumsinsel, north of the Ludwigsbrücke, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Current location since1932
Original cityStrasbourg

Materials

Materialbronze

Appearance

Depicted figureRhenus, the personification of the Rhine River god; Father Rhine (Père Rhin)
InscriptionArgentorato, the Latin name of Strasbourg

History and restoration

Re-erection1932; re-erected with some original parts and reconstructions of lost elements, including the putti
Missing original elementthe original balustrade around the basin edge is missing today
Commemorative inscriptionan inscription records the transfer of the work

Other

Public reception in Strasbourgthe figure’s swaying posture and laughter were widely mocked in Strasbourg and the fountain became the subject of humorous postcards
Current accessibilitythe fountain basin is freely accessible
Associated public eventsthe open area around the fountain is a regular venue for the Munich Kulturstrand and the Isarinselfest in September
Related work by the artistWittelsbach Fountain (Wittelsbacherbrunnen)