“Prince-Archbishop Paris Lodron” by Giacomo Manzú
In 1986, one of Italian artist Manzú’s sculptures was installed at the area of the Faculty of Natural Science and shows the founder of the University, Prince-Archbishop Paris Lodron.
Salzburg University was established in 1622 by Prince-Archbishop Paris Lodron. Through this statue, Italian artist Giacomo Manzú, whose works were strongly influenced thematically by cardinals, created an image that immediately evokes the essential characteristics of this prince of the church, greatness, power, dynamism, cleverness. Visitors will always experience this seated figure differently depending on whether they approach it from the front, from behind or the side.
Even though Paris Lodron’s actual rank within the church did not compare with that of cardinals, this statue definitely belongs to Manzú’s series of “cardinals”; a series consisting of more than 50 figures. “Prince-Archbishop Paris Lodron” was the last “cardinal” and was commissioned by Salzburg University.
Together with Oscar Kokoschka, Manzú was one of the leading lights of the Summer Academy of Fine Arts. Other works by Manzú in Salzburg include the big “Door of Love” at Salzburg Cathedral, the “Female Dancer” on the Rose Hill in Mirabell Gardens, as well as “The Cardinal” on Residenzplatz.
