Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon
Encyclopedia
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden is a cultural institution in Dresden, Germany, owned by the State of Saxony. It belongs to the most renowned and oldest museum institutions in the world, originating from the collections of the Saxon electors in the 16th century .Today, the Dresden State Art...
(State Art Collections). It is located in the Zwinger
Zwinger
The Zwinger is a palace in Dresden, eastern Germany, built in Baroque style. It served as the orangery, exhibition gallery and festival arena of the Dresden Court....
.
The Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon accommodates on of the most significant collections of around 2,000 clocks and fine mechanical instruments. Some of the collection’s highlights are the Arabian celestial globe of 1279, a calculating machine of around 1650 once belonging to Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal , was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic philosopher. He was a child prodigy who was educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen...
and the orbit clock manufactured in the 1560s by order of the court of Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
.
History of the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s and associated equipment of the court.
Elector August of Saxony
Augustus, Elector of Saxony
Augustus was Elector of Saxony from 1553 to 1586.-First years:Augustus was born in Freiberg, the youngest child and third son of Henry IV, Duke of Saxony, and Catherine of Mecklenburg. He consequently belonged to the Albertine branch of the Wettin family...
purposefully started to collect objects of art and for a time stored them in the munition and armour
Armour
Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action...
chamber. Already in the 16th century the collection had reached a similar size to that of the imperial armoury in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. The elector combined the Kurfürstliche Rüst- und Harnischkammer and the Jagdkammer (hunting chamber) to the Kurfürstliche Rüstkammer
Dresden Armory
The Dresden Armory , also known as the Dresden Historical Museum , is one of the world's largest collections of ceremonial weapons, armors and historical textiles. It is part of the Dresden State Art Collections.The Dresden Armory is currently on display in the gallery wing of the Zwinger Palace in...
(electorial munition chamber).
In 1724 the mathematical and physical instruments were separated from the munition chamber and other collections of the elector and stored in the newly established “Königliches Cabinet der mathematischen und physikalischen Instrumente” (royal cabinet of mathematical and physical instruments). Until 1746 this was the official name of the collection which concentrated on instruments for measuring length, temperature, weight, volume and time. Since 1728 the royal cabinet can be found in the Zwinger. The first residence of the cabinet was the pavilion of the carillon
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
in the Dresden Zwinger. In 1746 the collection was removed to a part of the building which is today called pavilion F, and is still housed there. Since that time it is called the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon.
In 1784, an observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
was founded at the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon.
Library of the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon
The electoral library (later the regional library of Saxony) was founded in 1556. In connection to the foundation of the Königliches Cabinet der mathematischen und physikalischen Instrumente, at first, special documents corresponding to the objects in the collection were stored. Additionally, some standard works to the topics of the collection and similar topics were bought. In connection with the foundation of the observatory at the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon in 1784 the history of astronomyHistory of astronomy
Astronomy is the oldest of the natural sciences, dating back to antiquity, with its origins in the religious, mythological, and astrological practices of pre-history: vestiges of these are still found in astrology, a discipline long interwoven with public and governmental astronomy, and not...
and their corresponding scientific instruments were the main focus for the further improvement of the library. During the middle part of the 19th century, purposeful purchase of literature led to a continuous enlargement of the library. Also, the collection was increased by the addition of books on the topics of history of time measurement, calculation machines and optical and physical instruments. Additionally, a lot of donations were made which add to the amount of literature included today.
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
affected the collection and the library of the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon. Many objects and texts were removed to castles and manors of the Third Reich. Precious prints from the older inventory of the library were lost. After the reconstruction of the Zwinger at the beginning of the 1950s, the library went back to its previous home there.
Currently, the inventory of the library contains 896 monograph
Monograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
s of which 25 are from the 17th century. 91 monographs are from the 18th century and 779 from the 19th century.
Today's presentation
Today, the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon in Dresden is one of the most famous collections of clockClock
A clock is an instrument used to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time. The word clock is derived ultimately from the Celtic words clagan and clocca meaning "bell". A silent instrument missing such a mechanism has traditionally been known as a timepiece...
s and geodetic
Geodetic system
Geodetic systems or geodetic data are used in geodesy, navigation, surveying by cartographers and satellite navigation systems to translate positions indicated on their products to their real position on earth....
instruments.
Due to a general reconstruction of the Zwinger, the museum of sciences is currently closed. Its reopening is scheduled for spring 2013.
External links
- Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon at Staatliche Kunstsammlungen DresdenStaatliche Kunstsammlungen DresdenStaatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden is a cultural institution in Dresden, Germany, owned by the State of Saxony. It belongs to the most renowned and oldest museum institutions in the world, originating from the collections of the Saxon electors in the 16th century .Today, the Dresden State Art...
- Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon - Information and history from Dresden & Saxony tourism site