Die Labung - Entwurf den Marktbrunnen in Decin (Tetschen-Bodenbach)an der Elbe, Ústecký kraj, Tschechische Republik

Art Historical Context

**Die Labung: A Plaster Model for a Riverside Fountain** Rudolf Emanuel Ritter von Weyr, a prominent Austrian sculptor of the late 19th century, created this delicate gypsum model around 1896. Titled *Die Labung* ("The Refreshment"), it served as a design proposal for the Marktbrunnen, a market fountain in Decin (then Tetschen-Bodenbach) along the Elbe River in what is now the Ústecký kraj region of the Czech Republic. Standing just 19 cm tall on a 27 x 18 cm base, this two-figure sculptural group captures the essence of public art from the Austro-Hungarian Empire era, blending functionality with allegory. Crafted in plaster—a favored medium for preparatory models—this work allowed von Weyr to refine his composition before execution in stone or bronze. The intimate scale invites close inspection, revealing his mastery of dynamic poses and fluid drapery typical of historicist sculpture, evoking classical themes of quenching thirst amid everyday life. Though the full fountain's fate remains tied to local history, this maquette highlights the era's civic pride in embellishing market squares with symbolic monuments. Housed in Vienna's Belvedere Collection, *Die Labung* offers a glimpse into the creative process behind monumental public works, bridging Austrian artistic innovation with Bohemian heritage. Visitors can appreciate how such designs fostered community and cultural identity in multi-ethnic regions of fin-de-siècle Europe.