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, German, 1708-1777
Title
Cronus eating one of this Children
Datec.1764
MediumSandstone
Dimensions
182.5 x 85 x 69 cm
Credit LinePurchased, 1970 (Shaw Fund)
Object numberNGI.8081
Label TextCronus is a figure from Greek mythology whose symbol is the scythe, shown at his feet. It was prophesied that he would be overthrown by his heirs, and so, to prevent this happening, he ate his children as soon as they were born. This unusual rococo statue comes from the gardens of Schloss Seehof in Bamberg, Germany. It was the summer residence of the Prince-Bishops of Würzburg who appointed Dietz their Court Sculptor in 1736. This work is one of a series commissioned by Prince-Bishop Adam Friedrich von Seinsheim.