2008 - Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden

Zwinger, Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon:
Archaeological excavations in the Grottensaal,
water supply system for the fountains,
autumn 2008
rensammlung in the Albertinum will, from 2010, focus on
19th and 20th century works and on contemporary art.
From Romanticism to contemporary installations, video
art and paintings, the works will be presented in a manner
that has never previously been possible. The art will be
exhibited in the architecturally different settings in such
a way that the experience of the room and the reception
of the art will complement and enrich one another. But
there is still a lot of building work to be done before
Dresden can delight fans of contemporary art in the new
Albertinum. The scaffolding under the Ark has already been
removed, but building materials and tools still fill the huge
foyer and the structurally completed rooms of the old
building.
All in all, the Free State of Saxony is investing 45 million
Euro in the construction of the new Ark and the restoration
of the old building:
Total floor area of the Albertinum: 12,400 m 2 · New storage
and workshop structure: floor area (extending over 2 storeys):
2,400 m 2 · Weight of steel structure: 2,700 t · Length 72 m,
Width 24 m · Height above the inner courtyard: 12 m · Start
of construction: November 2006.
surprising find in the Zwinger
In the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon the rediscovery
of the historic Grottensaal (Grotto Hall) was a great surprise.
Since May 2008 the Landesamt für Archäologie
(State Office for Archaeology) had been conducting excavations
on the ground floor ahead of other construction
projects. These revealed the well-preserved underground
water supply system for a large fountain. The archaeolo-
The grotto in the Zwinger, engraving by Zucchi after Matthäus
Daniel Pöppelmann, early 18th century, Kupferstich-Kabinett
The inner courtyard of the Albertinum
still full of scaffolding, October 2008
gists were able to ascertain beyond doubt that the find
was part of the original fittings of the Grottensaal, which
was built on the ground floor in 1714. An engraving by
Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann dating from 1729 shows the
Grottensaal as a room which was brightly painted and
decorated with stucco. In the early 19th century the Grottensaal
was altered because the damp from the fountains
had damaged the building. The wall decorations were removed.
The Landesamt für Archäologie has designated the
finding of numerous fragments of the room’s stucco decor
in a layer of infill as an amazing piece of archaeological
good fortune. These stucco fragments depict faces, sea
shells and architectural features, which are of great significance
for researchers investigating the history of the
building of the Dresden Zwinger, since these fragments
provide the first evidence of the colours used in the decoration
of the Grottensaal. The question of whether the
finds can be integrated into the new design of the Mathematisch-Physikalischer
Salon is still open.
The Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon is being refurbished
as part of the restoration work on the Zwinger. The
Saxon government has set aside a budget of 12.5 million
Euro for this purpose.
The building project encompasses the following:
Thorough rehabilitation of the structural substance of this
historic monument between the Crown Gate and the Wall
Pavilion · Restructuring and separation of public and nonpublic
areas of the museum · Design of a suitable reception
area for visitors · High-standard presentation of the new
exhibition.