The Wonders of Craftsmanship.
It was in 2023 that the Green Vault began celebrating its 300th birthday, which is a significant occasion. This event is being remembered with a variety of activities that will take place over the course of six years, which is the amount of time it took to build the collection in the first place. Augustus the Strong, the Elector of Saxony in 1723, was the first person to establish the collection.
The “Secret Custody,” which is the tight-sealed electoral vault located in the west wing of Dresden’s Royal Palace, has also been made gradually more available to the general public as a result of this development. During the month of September in the year 1729, a treasury museum was established. It was the first of its type in Europe, and it was shown in a setting that was considered to be cutting-edge for its time.
The remarkable collection of the Wettin princes and kings has been made completely accessible to the public once again since 2006, following intensive restoration work. The collection displays the priceless pieces in the stunning halls that were originally designed for them. In the same year, A. Lange & Sohne and the Dresden State Art Collections, organisations of which the Green Vault is a part, came together to create a collaboration.
The Baroque masterpiece has approximately 4,000 pieces of jewellery and goldsmithing art that date back to the Renaissance and the Classicism period. These works of art are on display in the permanent exhibitions that are housed in the Historic Green Vault as well as the New Green Vault. It is a monument to the devotion with which art aficionados organised the collection that the priceless artefacts are shown in the original Baroque setting beside exhibition walls that are artistically painted and mirrored, or they are positioned individually on centrepieces.
The many rooms are arranged and given names that correspond to the materials of the treasures that are on exhibit. These rooms range from the Amber Cabinet and the Ivory Room next door to the White Silver Room and the Silver Gilt Room. The Jewellery Room and the Hall of Precious Objects are the most notable features of the show. The Jewels Room contains Augustus the Strong and his son’s jewellery sets, which constitute a one-of-a-kind collection that is emblematic of jewels from the 18th century.
In addition to the forty spring-loaded artefacts and timepieces that may be seen in the Green Vault, the Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments, which is located in Zwinger Palace, is home to the bulk of the scientific instruments, globes, and clocks that have been collected throughout history from the Electoral Royal collection. Hans Schlottheim, an imperial clockmaker from Augsburg, is responsible for the creation of the “Tower of Babel” clock, which is an especially captivating example. This astonishing piece of machinery and very recognisable piece of art dates back to the early 17th century. It is capable of propelling a rolling rock crystal ball through the history of the globe in only one minute, allowing its numbers to come to life in a dance while music plays as if by magic.
Prof. Dr. Marion Ackermann, General Director of the Dresden State Art Collections, recognises the Green Vault as an outstanding, world-class museum: “The courtly collection holds an unparalleled cultural and art-historical significance, standing as one of Europe’s most opulent treasure troves. Today, much like in the past, the exhibits offer unique insights into the passion that the Saxon electors and kings had for collecting and therefore also demonstrate the cultural identity of Dresden and Saxony as a whole.
“Our art of watchmaking is deeply rooted in Glashütte. But it shares its heritage with the nearby city of Dresden”, emphasises Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne. “The Saxon court made science, art, and culture flourish. Even today, we can still appreciate this in the Green Vault, for example, which Ferdinand Adolph Lange is very likely to have visited. We are delighted and honoured to participate in this anniversary celebration, extending our heartfelt congratulations. Preserving precious objects for the future – it was with this in mind that a treasure chamber was founded 300 years ago, which we know today as the Green Vault. Through our watchmaking expertise and as a partner of the Dresden State Art Collections, we are dedicated to ensuring that our cultural heritage endures.”