Sculptural Dialogues in Pirna: From Baroque Roots to Contemporary Resonance

Author - Brian Hawkeswood. Baroque Foundations in Stone Pirna’s historic core still bears the imprint of Baroque artistry—not just in its buildings, but in its sculptural details. In the former fortress Festung Sonnenstein, the Skulpturensommer exhibition places historic reliefs and busts—like those by Johann Kretzschmar, a student of the Baroque master Balthasar Permoser—directly alongside modern sculptures . For example, a tambourin player and a granite “König David” (2010) frame visitors’ entrance, echoing centuries-old craftsmanship . A Seasonal Symphony Since 2013, curator Christiane Stoebe has organized an annual sculpture summer high above Pirna, pairing modern works with medieval bastion architecture . In 2025, the theme “Resonanz” unites 27 German and Czech artists, including Jan Hendrych and Waldemar Grzimek . Displayed are works such as Livia Kubach & Michael Kropp’s Paarstein (2018, sandstone) and Grzimek’s thoughtful bronze Sitzender Alter (19...