Elysium 2010
Imperia, the harbour queen of Konstanz
This beautiful, voluptuous woman's statue is the late response of the people of Konstanz to the Councile of Constance (1414-1418). In the left hand of Imperia is the nacked Pope with only it's power attribute on his head. On her right hand, Imperia carries another ridiculous dwarf, the nacked emperor of the Holly Empire with its crown.
The councile of Constance was a traumatic event for the inhabitants. On the first day, they wellcomed with great joy one of the three popes, John XXIII from Sienna. Soon after, this pope was condemned and imprisonned by the councile. Furthermore, the czech priester and provost of Prague University, Jan Hus, was betrayed by the emperor (immunity against any prosecution), condemned and burnt alive on the stake at Konstanz. Hus promoted a clean Christianism, with nomore immixion in financial or political considerations. During the councile the city of Konstanz was overunned by numerous bishops, priesters, cardinals and much of the high hierarchy of the empire. But, they observed also a very impressive increase of the activity of prostitution, a disturbing fact with so much abstinent religious.
The statue itself was built by a berliner artist at the end of 19th century, inspired by the book of Honoré de Balzac, "La belle Imperia", where a wonderful woman, a courtisane (a kind of luxus prostitute of the high society), had far more power than the leaders.
Clearly, this statue is a symbol that rejects both political and spiritual leaderships, much weaker than the sex appeal of beautiful women, ranked much higher. After much more than a century, Imperia, also called the Liberty Statue of Konstanz, is now in the DNA of Konstanz.
Imperia, the harbour queen of Konstanz
This beautiful, voluptuous woman's statue is the late response of the people of Konstanz to the Councile of Constance (1414-1418). In the left hand of Imperia is the nacked Pope with only it's power attribute on his head. On her right hand, Imperia carries another ridiculous dwarf, the nacked emperor of the Holly Empire with its crown.
The councile of Constance was a traumatic event for the inhabitants. On the first day, they wellcomed with great joy one of the three popes, John XXIII from Sienna. Soon after, this pope was condemned and imprisonned by the councile. Furthermore, the czech priester and provost of Prague University, Jan Hus, was betrayed by the emperor (immunity against any prosecution), condemned and burnt alive on the stake at Konstanz. Hus promoted a clean Christianism, with nomore immixion in financial or political considerations. During the councile the city of Konstanz was overunned by numerous bishops, priesters, cardinals and much of the high hierarchy of the empire. But, they observed also a very impressive increase of the activity of prostitution, a disturbing fact with so much abstinent religious.
The statue itself was built by a berliner artist at the end of 19th century, inspired by the book of Honoré de Balzac, "La belle Imperia", where a wonderful woman, a courtisane (a kind of luxus prostitute of the high society), had far more power than the leaders.
Clearly, this statue is a symbol that rejects both political and spiritual leaderships, much weaker than the sex appeal of beautiful women, ranked much higher. After much more than a century, Imperia, also called the Liberty Statue of Konstanz, is now in the DNA of Konstanz.