Sculptpedia Statues, Busts and Sculptures Park sculptures and installations Ancient World & Antiquity Middle Ages & Renaissance Marble & Other Stones Bronze & Other Metals

Richard Wagner Bust

Richard Wagner Bust is a monument dedicated to Richard Wagner in Leipzig, in northwestern Saxony, Germany. It was inaugurated on 7 February 1983 and is a work by the local artist Max Klinger. The sculpture is located on a section of Leipzig’s inner ring road behind the Opera House, on the eastern slope of the swan pond facing west. Made of bronze, it stands 96 centimeters high and rests on a simple sandstone base.

Richard Wagner bust on a stone base with his name carved into it, with bare branches and a tall apartment building in the background.
Richard Wagner bust on a stone base, photographed with bare trees and a modern building behind it.
© · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Richard Wagner bust on a weathered stone pedestal with a floral wreath at the base in a park
Richard Wagner bust on a stone pedestal, with a wreath placed at the monument’s base in a park setting.
February 2019 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Richard Wagner bust on a tall stone pedestal in a park, with a floral wreath at the base.
Richard Wagner bust displayed on a stone pedestal in a park setting.
February 2019 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Richard Wagner bust on a moss-covered stone pedestal in a grassy park setting.
The Richard Wagner bust stands on a tall stone pedestal in a park with bare trees and buildings in the background.
February 2019 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Richard Wagner bust on a tall pedestal in a grassy park with trees behind it.
The Richard Wagner bust stands on a tall pedestal in a sunlit park surrounded by dense greenery.
July 2015 © Frank Vincentz · CC BY-SA 3.0

Identification

TitleBust of Richard Wagner
SubjectRichard Wagner
TypeBust

Historical context

Commission contextCreated as a small-scale solution in the context of the Richard Wagner Days of the GDR
Earlier unrealized plansFrom 1903 until the First World War, Max Klinger tried to create a representative monument to Wagner in Leipzig, but it was unsuccessful
Later related monumentIn 2013, another Wagner monument by Stephan Balkenhol, combined with elements by Max Klinger, was erected in Leipzig
Reason for creationChosen as a small solution for Wagner’s 170th birthday and the 100th anniversary of his death
Creation date1983
Unveiling date7 February 1983
PurposeMonument dedicated to Richard Wagner

Creator

Artist originLeipzig
Artist life dates1857–1920
Artist professionSculptor
ArtistMax Klinger
Design attributionBased on a concept by Max Klinger

Discovery and provenance

Original versionA marble bust created by Max Klinger for the Leipzig music room at the 1904 World Exposition in St. Louis
Original modelThe original plaster cast is held by the Museum of Fine Arts, Leipzig, together with two casts from the Klinger estate
Bronze cast used for current monumentOne plaster cast prepared for bronze casting was used for the present monument in 1982
FoundryNoack bronze foundry, Leipzig
Foundry year1982

Physical characteristics

ScaleLarger than life-size
Height96 cm
BaseSimple sandstone pedestal

Materials

Base materialSandstone
Figure materialDark patinated bronze

Appearance

Depicted figureMature Richard Wagner
ViewpointFrontal view
Clothing depictionNo indication of clothing
StyleClassical, austere simplicity
InscriptionsFront: RICHARD WAGNER; back: MAX KLINGER; side: BRONZE NOACK LEIPZIG 1982

Location and ownership

LocationPromenadenring behind the Leipzig Opera House, on the eastern slope of the Schwanenteich (Swan Pond), facing west
CityLeipzig, Germany
Placement noteThe location can be considered slightly hidden
Manufacturer inscriptionBRONZE NOACK LEIPZIG 1982

Significance

SignificanceFirst completed public monument to the composer in his birthplace