bavarikon4UStatuette des Ritters St. Georg, Augsburg und München 1586-1597/1638-1641
Description
The statuette of St. George was created between 1586 and 1597, probably based on a design by Friedrich Sustris (1540-1599), as a reliquary for a St. George relic that Archbishop Ernst of Cologne (1554-1612) sent to his brother Duke Wilhelm V of Bavaria (reigned 1579-1597) in Munich in 1586. The 50 cm high equestrian statue is made of gold, gilded silver, coloured enamel, agate and rock crystal and is richly decorated with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, opals and other precious stones and pearls.
In the 17th century the statuette was displayed on the altar of the Rich Chapel on high holidays. The blue shimmering armour of Saint George is reproduced in a small format in Duke Wilhelm V's ceremonial armour, whose bearded facial features, cut from boxwood, are hidden behind the movable helmet visor. At the time of the Counter-Reformation, Duke Wilhelm V saw himself as a defender of what he considered to be the true Catholic faith, following the example of the triumphant knightly Saint George.