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 'Art'
as a medium of expression has had no equal, be
it in this age or in the past. The power of art
in conveying messages to vast audiences is awe
inspiring. Art during the middle ages in Europe
played a major role both in the formulation of
religious themes and practices and in the dissemination
of these practices to the faithful in particular
and to the people in general.
During this era, Germany as also other parts of
Europe experienced a surge of artistic expression
and upheaval of artistic and religious values,
which continued into the age of Renaissance. Despite
the old testament's prohibition of pictures as
a medium of religious expression, an extensive
system of Christian religious imagery established
itself both in the rites of the church and in
the field of private devotion. The impact of this
imagery on the spectator often exceeded that of
the printed and spoken word in comprehensibility
and retention.
 For
the first time in India, the German National
Museum is presenting itself in a series of
exhibitions that display unique works of art,
which were created during this period in Central
Europe. The exhibition titled 'Ornament
and Figure' is being held at the Salar
Jung Museum in Hyderabad. This three
week long display of art objects depicting the
beauty of ornamentation in the West is part of
the on-going German Festival in India.
An assortment of objects from coins, burial
goods, to weapons of war, utensils goblets, engraved
items in metal and illustrated parchments are
on display.
 Describing
the exhibition and commenting on the title, Ulrich
Grofsmann, General Director of the German
Museum said, "The museum is presenting
a theme from the culture of Central Europe, especially
Germany, and has put together from its own collections
an exhibition concentrating on figures and ornamentation.
In view of the fact that ornamentation plays such
an important role in the art of India, the museum
would like to present ornamentation in Central
Europe as a comparison. However, as ornamentation
in Europe has often been presented in pictorial
representations of people, we have entitled the
exhibition as Ornament and Figure."
Among the prominent displays is a Double Goblet
consisting of two almost identical halves, each
of which can be used as a drinking vessel. This
comes from Nuremberg, which was the most
important European centre of goldsmithy. "Fine
vessels of this type were used to honour distinguished
persons on official and private occasions. They
were a sign of high respect for the recipient,"
said Grofsmann. Water vessels in the form of animals,
usually lions, called Acquamaniles are
also eye-catching. These were used to hold water
for handwashing during religious ceremonies and
in every day life and were common in the period
between the 12th and 15th centur ies.
Of the many wooden carvings displayed, the carving
titled Enthroned Madonna is undoubtedly
the best. This popular wood carving depicts the
virgin Mary, crowned with a circlet, sitting
on a bench throne and bearing baby Jesus on
her left thigh. "This motif displays the
image of the throne of wisdom. It also depicts
the presentation of Jesus to the world. This is
from the South Tyrol region and belongs to the
12th century," explained Grofsmann. Artistically
done and intricately carved metal alloy door
pulls from the Lower Saxony region
in Germany are simple yet beautiful to
behold. Again these door pulls too usually depict
lions. The stylised head of the lion stands out
of a circle, its mane represented as a wreath
of slender, finely drawn strands with curls at
the end, filling the entire picture field. These
exquisite pieces belong to the 15th century.
Apart from these, a number of illustrated parchments
bearing text and water colour drawings on various
themes are mounted in the exhibition. Prominent
among these being the parchment with the initial
'S' with outpouring of the Holy Ghost,
which is from the Anger monastery. It
is done with opaque water colour and is extremely
attractive. Another parchment that grabs one's
attention is the one with the initial 'S'
with a mother of god from a Latin Liturgical
Manuscript. It too is done with opaque water
colours and is equally beautiful. Both these parchments
are from around the end of the 14th century.
 The
exhibition has creations that span a period of
some six centuries. It also reflects a whole range
of artistic styles in respect to the ornamentation,
colour combinations and subjects chosen for the
creation of paintings, drawings and objects. Commenting
on the various styles of works in the exhibition
and their date of creation, Grofsmann said, "In
contrast to India, stylistic continuity is not
typical of European art. So the age of an object
can often be judged by a look at its ornamentation."
Ornament and Figure have influenced European
art in all its forms. We find it in architecture,
painting, in graphic art in book design, on sculptures
and even on weapons and doorlocks and doorpulls.
In addition to its main themes of Ornament and
Figure, the exhibition offers a little guided
tour through the history of European art, which
can be followed through changing styles from Romanesque
through Gothic, to Renaissance, from the 11th
to the 16th centuries.
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