Sculpture Time steals beauty: large garden in new splendor!

Sculpture Time steals beauty: large garden in new splendor!

Exciting news can be reported in Dresden's largest park, the Great Garden. The famous sculpture group “Time steals beauty” is now fully visible again. This masterpiece depicts the Greek time god Chronos lifting up a beauty and is considered the most important marble work of art in the Great Garden. But the road to restoration was rocky; A wing of Chronos had been broken off since 2013, and the sculpture itself suffered from numerous cracks and other damage.

However, after a comprehensive restoration process, which is part of the extensive “Sculpture Program in the Great Garden of Dresden”, the situation has now improved significantly. This process was carried out by the state-owned company Sächsisches Immobilien- und Baumanagement on behalf of the Free State of Saxony and will continue until 2026. A total of around 3.9 million euros from tax revenue will flow into the ten-year project in order to stop the deterioration of the works of art and to ensure their long-term existence. In particular, individual conservation plans were drawn up for each sculpture, and an interdisciplinary commission plans and accompanies the work.

Insights into the restoration

Preparing for the sculpture's return was a true team effort. Seven restorers, thirteen sculptors, two art designers and numerous craft businesses were involved in the implementation. In order to create the marble copy of “Time steals beauty”, we have been working with a marble expert since 2018. This copy is necessary because the original has been kept under a wooden shed for eleven years and is badly damaged.

Master stone sculptor Andreas Klein has currently set up a makeshift workshop at the palace where the facades are being renovated. The opening of an open-air exhibition to document the construction of the sculpture program also creates a framework to present the progress and developments. The exhibition was realized by the SIB Dresden I branch in cooperation with the State Palaces, Castles and Gardens of Sachsen gGmbH.

Long-term plans and monitoring

In addition to the measures already taken, further steps are planned for the coming year, including winter protection enclosures for the sculpture group and the magnificent vases. Regular measurements and examinations, including ultrasound scans to monitor the condition of the sculptures, will also continue. The condition of many of the works was critical, not only because of air pollution, but also because of inadequate care in the 20th century.

The work on the sculpture group “Time steals beauty” impressively shows how important it is to preserve cultural treasures in order to preserve our heritage for future generations. With the completion of these ambitious restoration projects, the Great Garden will continue to be a place of admiration and inspiration for all visitors.

For anyone who would like to find out more about the context and history, there are some interesting link sources here: Medienservice Sachsen, Sächsische Newspaper, and College of Fine Arts Dresden.