22-Jan-2017

We ropened the puttos eyes!


Assumedly in 1720 Johann Paul III Paumgartner after already having lost his much beloved wive and their eight children established a "sorrow chamber" in the little entrance turret (Türmchen). It is namely very unusual for such a little turret separated from all other rooms having such a beautifull stucco.
Originally one could only reach it by an outside stair. It was used by the keeper of the lookout. Accordingly the former East-wall of the "Türmchen" was an outside wall. This we found in the original plastering:
Fassungsfreilegung Johann Paul III. Paumgartner attached a third arch made of sandstone to the gateway into the inner yard enclosing so the little turret to the Palas. It is not intermeshed with the rest and therefore tore off again and again.
3. Sandsteinbogen In this way he created an entrance from the inside to the Türmchen. This was originally only a better part of the parapet walk equipped with wood panelling.
And then came the stucco (made probably by Donato Polli): in the little turret it was very sophisticated and painted partly with gold: Eurydike being bitten by the snake at her wedding day. This might be connected with the loss of his wife.
Eurydike And over the entrance the head of a little cherub. Who knows if this didnīt show the face of a very beloved child?
My thesis is as well supported by being written above the entrance to the corridor to the little turret as follows:
Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis
(Put joys from time to time between your sorrows!) Meaning; Donīt forget in your sorrow that life has its beautifull sides as well!
Türstock Our apt restorers supplemented the missing lower half of the sentence in this way that only who knows its been missing can recognise it.

The little putto affixed over the entrance to the Türmchen had been overpainted through the centuries so heavily that one could recognise its hair and little wings only with much fantaisie. And he had lost a piece of his nose.
Engelchen beim Restauriertwerden Our restorers freed the little putto with much patience and love from his many coatings. And they did talk to him: keep quiet only a little time! I know it tickles, but I have to free your little ear and afterwards you can here much better!
Engelchen halbfertig The putto is always looking at me with his little eyes as if he wanted to say: donīt be sad; even if you canīt see me anymore on earth Iīm watching over you from heaven. And "I feel well and happy were I am now!"
Engelchen wiederhergestellt Perhaps the little putto could reconcile Johann Paul III Paumgartner with his cruel lot. At least in 1723 he attached his coat of arms onto the outside of the Türmchen accompanied by the coat of arms of his first (Maria Magdalena Rieterin von Kalbensteinberg) and his second wife (Maria Sophia Nützel auf Sündersbühl). Obviously hope had been instilled in him again.
Wappen über Eingang


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