Two details of the facade of the tenement house: an owl and a dwarf with a camera

Artworks

Description

Above the bay windows of the tenement house designed in the reform architecture style (Ger.: Reformarchitektur) at Rossevelt Str. 8, two verz interesting architecture details can be observed. The first, located on the right bay, portraits a dwarf figure with a camera. Clad in a pointed cap, jacket, short pants, and boots, the gnome holds a device on both sides of the keystone of the bay window. The focused, but rather unruly face of the character indicates that the little man is taking a photo. The whole is integrated into a plant motif (chestnut leaves), filling the central part of the bay.

The second detail is a figure resembling a gray tawny owl, sitting on the left side of the building, on the support element of the lower bay window. The large owl looks as if it is just waking up from or falling into a deep sleep. As in the case of the dwarf, the animal is set in front of a floral motif (oak leaves), filling the central part of the bay.

Both elements are located between the first and second floors.

Historical background

The details were most likely created in the same period as the entire tenement house, i.e. at the beginning of the 20^th century. The house itself originally belonged to the photographer Karl Kaegbein, who had here his photography workshop.

The tenement house "(...) was inhabited by, among others, deputy mayor, councilor of the city council for construction, Johannes Römmler (architect, designer of the City Museum, high school and other buildings), university inspector, photographer.

The villa is located in an area listed in the local urban and landscape register of monuments (Old Town - register of monuments under no. 62 (3031)), therefore, with each renovation of the buildings located here, the Lubuski Provincial Conservator of Monuments issues its conservation recommendations" (SPZG).