Designs for the church after 1945

Artist list

Adelmar Dölger, Elisabeth Treskow, Friedrich Becker, Rudolf Bott, Fritz Schwerdt, Juliane Schölß, Bruno Sievering-Tornow

Malte Guttek: 'It is a special honour for the Goldschmiedehaus to be able to exhibit such important loans. Wonderful gold and silversmith works of art are coming into the house, including pieces by Elisabeth Treskow and Fritz Schwerdt. I am particularly pleased that, after working in Cologne for many years, that I can present some artists here in Hanau who are recognizable for their significant work in the Rheinland.

In their diverse forms, the exhibited works make reference to the different tasks that result from their use during the celebration of church services and ecclesiastical festivities. Sacral objects serve to celebrate faith and have a fixed meaning within the rites. The chalice, for example, is one of the most important vessels in Christian worship. It is used to hold and serve the blessed wine, which is why it is usually made of particularly precious materials. The function of the objects on display, however, goes beyond the material worth and, above all, embodies ideal values. Because the thought process evoked by these objects is central to their design, preliminary models are on display in the exhibition with equal footing to the finished silversmith pieces.

The exhibition is a reflection of the diversity and individual character of modern sacral objects. In particular, the juxtaposition of works from the pre-war years show the creative development of gold and silversmithing design for sacred spaces after 1945. Created by craftspeople, artists and designers, the ritual objects on display are characterized by a high standard of design and craftsmanship.

These types of works are often designed for the place where they are used. This purposeful and local connection is one reason why sacral vessels are often objects that were commissioned or put out to competition. Historical and contemporary competition entries from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Goldschmiedekunst and the Staatliche Zeichenakademie Hanau illustrate this. This is also a connection to Hanau as an important location for the training of gold and silversmiths.
 
In addition to pieces by Elisabeth Treskow, Fritz Schwerdt and Friedrich Becker, works by Rudolf Bott, Adelmar Dölger, Juliane Schölß, Bruno Sievering-Tornow and other silversmiths will be presented.
The exhibition 'Art commission. Designs for the Church after 1945' will run until February 2nd, 2025.

Public guided tours 2024 (in German):
10 November Guided tour on Sunday.
21 November Flashlight tour.
24 November Family tour.
8 December Guided tour on Sunday.
12 December Flashlight tour.