Sculptural group of St. Ivo on Charles Bridge / Sousoší Sv. Iva na Karlove moste (Prague)
N 50° 05.171 E 014° 24.788
33U E 458016 N 5548377
Depicted Baroque sculptural group of St. Ivo (sousoší Sv. Iva) is one of 31 historic statues (...or groups) decorating famous Gothic Charles Bridge (Karluv most) in Prague' centre.
Waymark Code: WMNGCB
Location: Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
Date Posted: 03/11/2015
Views: 54
Depicted Baroque sculptural group of St. Ivo (sousoší Sv. Iva) 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.
Baroque sculptural group of St. Ivo is the first one on the left looking from the Old Town Bridge Tower. The Horice sandstone sculptural group, work of Matthias Bernard Braun (1711) as his second scuplture in Prague, was donated by the Law Faculty of the Prague University (St. Ivo is a patron of lawyers). The sculptural group depicts an old man and a widow with a child who are looking up to the saint for help. The saint is depicted as a religious judge protecting the poor against injustice of the powerful. On his right, there is an allegoric blindfolded Justice with a scale and sword. The relief on the pedestal shows a mass served for a reconciled dispute between a mother and her son. It is believed that law students used to come to pray to the statue before their exams. The original of the statuary is now in the Lapidarium of the National Museum. This replica was sculpted by František Hergesel Jr. in 1908.
Saint Ivo of Kermartin, T.O.S.F. (17 October 1253 – 19 May 1303), also known Yvo or Ives, as Erwann (in Breton) and as Yves Hélory (also Helori or Heloury in French), was a parish priest among the poor of Louannec, the only one of his station to be canonized in the Middle Ages. He is the patron of Brittany, lawyers and abandoned children. His feast day is 19 May. Poetically, he is referred to as "Advocate of the Poor". [wiki]