The Zwinger is spectacular! The baroque complex encompasses a beautiful European garden with halls on each side filled with art and antiquities. The main entrance, across a bridge over the moat, is literally crowned. All around the palace sculptures dance and flit and hug and prance. There are probably more than 100 cherubs, a couple of dozen fauns, centaurs, and satyrs, and many beautiful ladies and handsome men. Augustus the Strong built the Zwinger in the early 18th century to have something like Versailles for himself, the newly elected King of Poland. He built it as an entertainment and art venue.
The Layout
After entering the garden through the crowned gate, a larger multi-story building lines the back of the courtyard. This, the Semper Gallery, houses the painting and sculpture gallery of the museum. It was built after the death of Augustus to close the gap in the structure. To the left of the crowned gate, a long two-floor building displays scientific instruments and educates on their purpose. Just next to that is a grand staircase leading to a small concert hall, a magnificent fountain, and the walkways that go on the tops of the buildings. This is how you get up to see the sculptures and look down on the gardens.
To the right of the painting and sculpture galleries stands another entrance, this one capped by a clock tower. This clock tower plays lovely music on porcelain chimes. This is very appropriate because on either side of the tower are the galleries dedicated to porcelain.
Porcelain
Fine Chinese porcelain was traded all the way to Europe. Augustus loved the stuff and collected a much as he could. He planned to create a porcelain palace. The collection includes exquisite Chinese porcelain, some very special royal pieces, and a collection of German porcelain figurines. Of these, the animals or menagerie were my favorite. The artists created them for the porcelain palace.
One of my favorite things about the porcelain galleries was how they displayed the pieces. Using the building’s architecture the pieces decorate the walls, integrated into the design. In each arched wall panel, a rich wall paper or other treatment backs many pieces of porcelain displayed on shelves or attached to the walls in spectacular patterns and arrangements. It is exactly how I would want to display a collection of porcelain, if I could.
Scientific Instruments
Augustus also collected scientific instruments and mechanical curiosities. During his life, people around the globe studied the stars and the movement of the planet. They created new instruments to take measurements and made fascinating devices to display their findings, like astronomical clocks. The collection has three main areas. One displays mostly instruments for measuring the stars, seasons, etc. Another boasts a grand collection of time pieces in addition to globes and other various tools. Then, upstairs are some large curiosities including parabolic mirrors and telescopes.
Paintings and Sculpture
The Semper Gallery’s collection of paintings and sculpture may not be as large as some museum collections, but it showcases just as many famed artists and their works. At the time of my visit, a special temporary exhibition highlighted a fabulous painting of a girl serving hot chocolate. The painting inspired so many that an entire exhibit showcases other works reflecting the original. The original painting really stands out in its attention to detail in the smallest things. The artist beautifully shows his skill in her wrinkled dress and the silver filigree on her serving tray magnified by the water glass.
Returned Treasures
WWII practically reduced Dresden to rubble, including the Zwinger. Thankfully the collection had already been removed for safe keeping during the war. And, thankfully, the Nazis didn’t get their hands on it. However, after the war, the Soviets took the art back to Russia. The Russians returned the art after helping rebuild the Zwinger. If only this happened with more of the loot from wars.
I really enjoyed the Zwinger because of the setting and the art. The way the collection tells a story and presents itself in the midst of the beautiful architecture makes it special.
