Tympanum with Swan (Timpaan met zwaan)

About this artwork.

In the facade of the Lutheran church, a white swan has been applied in painted stucco, swimming in dark blue water, against the background of a light blue sky. The swan is the symbol of the Lutheran Church in the Netherlands. The origin of this symbolism lies in an ancient legend. The Czech religious reformer Johannes Hus – his surname means “goose” – was condemned to the stake by the Council in 1415, partly because of his rejection of papal authority. Standing in front of his judges, he apparently said: “Thou roast a goose today, but one day a swan will fly in your face.” With the swan he would seem to have anticipated the coming of Martin Luther (1483- 1546). That's how the swan became the symbol of the Lutherans.
 
The painted stucco, the maker of which is unknown, dates from 1874 and this is also the founding year of the Lutheran Church in Groningen. Because of Tympanum with swan, the Lutheran church is also called the Zwaantjeskerk.

Facts & Figures.

• Design
  maker onbekend

• District
  Centrum

• Year of creation
  1874

• Art type
  Relief, Art in / on a building

• Material
  Paint, Stucco

• Dimensions
  h 0,75 m