Keywords
Karl Friedrich Schinkel, art metal, artistic iron casting, sculpture, architecture, model, drawing, the Royal Prussian Iron Foundry in Berlin, attribution,
How to Cite
Nazin S. S. Problems with establishing the authorship of Karl Friedrich Schinkel in artistic iron casting // The Art of Eurasia, 2025. № 3 (38). P. 56-75. URL: https://doi.org/10.46748/ARTEURAS.2025.03.003.
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Abstract
The article considers the issue of Karl Friedrich Schinkel’s authorship of cast iron art objects produced by the Royal Prussian Iron Foundry in Berlin. The purpose of the study was to verify information that Schinkel was responsible for designing these products. Through historical, archival, and bibliographic research, the author identifies two distinct periods in the art history literature regarding this issue. The first period (1917–2000) is characterized by unfounded assertions of Schinkel's involvement in the development of models for the Royal Prussian Iron Foundry, while the second period (2000–2020) shows a more cautious approach to attributions. The study also includes an art history analysis of several cast iron art objects, in addition to examining scientific publications by leading Russian and German experts and catalogues of museum collections. The main conclusion of the study is that Schinkel did not contribute to the development of decorative items at the Iron Foundry in Berlin during the 1820s and 1830s, and is not the author of models for small cast iron sculptures. It is emphasized that K.F. Schinkel, being an experienced specialist, was aware of the limited possibilities of cast iron and preferred to use other materials, such as bronze, marble, or zinc. The significance of this study lies in its revision of established attributions and its clarification of Schinkel's role in artistic iron casting. Additionally, the article introduces a previously undiscovered price list of the Royal Prussian Iron Foundry in Berlin from 1856, which serves as a valuable source of information for specialists.
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