Modell des Wiener Beethoven-Denkmals in den Ausstellungsräumen des Beethoven-Hauses Bonn - Abguss des Originalmodells von Caspar von Zumbusch von 1878, Fotografie der Deutschen Photogravur Aktiengesellschaft, Siegburg, um 1910?

The most famous Beethoven monument from the second half of the 19th century is without doubt the monument created by Caspar Clemens von Zumbusch (1830-1915) in Vienna. It depicts Beethoven as a hero and expresses the meaning of his art by an abundance of allegorican characters.

The composer sits high above, far from the beholder on which he looks upon. At his feet puttos were placed on both sides of the monument, representing his symphonies and his music in general. The statues of titan Prometheus and Nike, the goddess of victory, stand on both sides. They impersonate the suffering for the sake of humanity and eternal glory. The monuments rests on a three-step base.

The way Zumbusch designed the monument for Beethoven shows the sculptor's admiration for the composer, typical for Germany and Austria during the second half of the 19th century. In the monument Zumbusch incorporated a series of allusions and hidden hints the educated middle classes of his time were familiar with. The sitting Beethoven is almost a copy of the pose Italian Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo (1475-1564) invented for his statue of Moses. Thereby, Zumbusch made use of a comparison rather popular for the second half of the 19th century that equated Beethoven's works and musical performances to Michelangelos performances in fine arts.The character and fate of both "giants of art" seemed to bear similarities as well. (S.B.)