The Fall of Irminsul, 1846/1848
MediumOil on paper, on canvas
Dimensions without frame66,7 × 75,6 × 2 cm
Dimensions with frame88,6 × 100 × 5 cm
About the work This picture by Alfred Rethel is the painted sketch for one of the eight murals in Aachen's town hall, which are dedicated to the life of Charlemagne V. It depicts the moment when Charlemagne destroys the Irmin Column after the conquest of Eresburg Castle in 772. This goes back to the Germanic god of war Irmin and symbolises the connection between heaven and earth. Rethel, who trained in Düsseldorf, described it in the letter accompanying his work as a "pillar of the universe". The toppling of the pillar was a gesture of power to show the superiority of the Christian religion over the pagan one.
AccessionAcquisition 1935
Provenance1935 erworben von den Erben des Künstlers
Inventory numberM 4454
