St. Anthony of Padua with Infant Jesus on Charles Bridge / Sv. Antonín Paduánský s Ježíškem na Karlove Moste (Prague)
N 50° 05.203 E 014° 24.588
33U E 457778 N 5548439
Depicted Baroque sculptural group of St. Anthony of Padua with Infant Jesus (Sv. Antonín Paduánský s Ježíškem) is one of 31 historic statues (...or groups) decorating famous Gothic Charles Bridge (Karluv most) in Prague' centre.
Waymark Code: WMNG7H
Location: Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
Date Posted: 03/10/2015
Views: 56
Depicted Baroque sculptural group of St. Anthony of Padua with Infant Jesus (Sv. Antonín Paduánský s Ježíškem) is one of 31 historic statues (...or groups) decorating famous Gothic Charles Bridge (Karluv most) in Prague' centre.
What makes Charles Bridge a top tourist attraction is the open air sculptural gallery which adorns it. It was created much later than the actual bridge construction, mostly in 1706-1714 in the expectation of the canonisation of John of Nepomuk (Jan Nepomucký). Despite the partial changes the gallery has undergone since its creation, it is still a great reflection of the history of the Czech lands - there are 31 statues and groups of statues in all on the bridge today with approximately 100 figures, among them also prime works of the great men of central European sculpture Matthias B. Braun and Ferdinand M. Brokoff. Since 1965 the precious originals of the statues have been gradually replaced by replicas. In extent and quality this bridge gallery has no equal in Europe.
Sculptural group of St. Anthony of Padua with baby Jesus is the 9th one on the right looking from the Old Town Bridge Tower. The sandstone statue, work of Jan Oldrich Mayer (1707), was donated by Prague Castle councilor Kryštof Moric Withauer. St. Anthony of Padua, dressed in a regular vestment, is standing on a simple prismatic pedestal and is leaning against a voluted upstand with Infant Jesus. On both sides of the sculptural group, there are two stone vases. The right one is adorned with reliefs showing scenes from the legend about the saint. On the front side of the pedestal, there is the Latin inscription The zealot of God’s glory, make the enemies of Emperor Joseph tremble with fear: 1707. On both the right and the left, there is the same Latin inscription Erected and dedicated to incarnated God and St. Anthony of Padua by C.M.V.: 1707. By the feet of the saint, there used to be an ornamented lantern and a ribbon on the saint’s neck.