Zestien deelnemers aan het 'Deutsche Sängerfest' te Neurenberg in 1861 1861 - 1863

This print by P. Wurster commemorates sixteen participants of the 'Deutsche Sängerfest' in Nuremberg in 1861, and is replete with symbols. Note the figure of Justitia, the allegorical representation of Justice, standing tall with her scales outside the concert hall. This harks back to ancient Roman depictions, but here she is interwoven with the rising tide of German nationalism. The cherubic figures recall Renaissance art, symbols of innocence and purity, yet they hold musical instruments, entwining art with a cultural heritage. We see the 'Sängerfest' as a re-emergence of the ancient Greek chorus. This resonates deeply with the German psyche, tapping into a collective yearning for cultural identity. Like a recurring dream, these symbols appear throughout history, each time molded by the anxieties and aspirations of the age. They reflect a non-linear, cyclical progression, continually resurfacing and evolving.