"Temperance: also known as restraint, the practice of self-control, abstention, and moderation tempering the appetition." --Wikipedia (
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"Temperance is defined as moderation or voluntary self-restraint. It is typically described in terms of what an individual voluntarily refrains from doing. This includes restraint from retaliation in the form of non-violence and forgiveness, restraint from arrogance in the form of humility and modesty, restraint from excesses such as splurging now in the form of prudence, and restraint from excessive anger or craving for something in the form of calmness and self-control." --Wikipedia (
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The statue depicts Temperance as a nude male figure with a long piece of fabric draped over his left shoulder then falling down to his groin area where it then curls around behind his right hip. His right arm is hanging by his right side and his right hand rests on top of an urn. His left arm is bent at a 45 degree angle and he holds his left arm in front of his body. He holds a pitcher in his left hand.
A plaque about the four statues is located near the Wisdom statue and reads (in Norwegian):
De 4 Kardinaldyder
Fasaden til Bergen Tinghus prydes av fire monumentale
skulpturer kalt Kardinaldydene som symboliserer menneskenes viktigste dyder eller egenskaper
- Visdommen, Rettferdigheten, Måteholdet og Styrken.
Skulpturene er laget av de Norske kunstnerene
Stinus Fredriksen (1902-1977) og Nicolai Schiøll (1901-1984),
Egil Reimers (1878-1946) er arkitekten bak Tinghuset (1933)
og skulpturene er en viktig del av fasaden for å gi
inngangspartiet tyngde og autoritet.
The 4 Cardinal Virtues
The facade of Bergen Courthouse adorned by four monumental
sculptures called cardinal virtues symbolizing mankind's most important virtues or characteristics
- Wisdom, Justice, Temperance and Strength.
The sculptures are made by the Norwegian artists
Stinus Fredriksen (1902-1977) and Nicolai Schiøll (1901-1984),
Egil Reimers (1878-1946) is the architect behind the courthouse (1933)
and sculptures are an important part of the facade to give
entrance weight and authority.