Sebastian Münster Monument
Sculpture, outdoor commemorative monument • Karl-Heinz Krause (1924–2019)
Style & Movement
Mid-century Modernism with expressive figurative realism
Medium & Technique
Cast bronze with a rough, expressive surface texture and natural verdigris patina
Creation Period
Mid-20th Century (completed 1957)
Dimensions & Format
Life-sized or slightly over life-sized; vertical monumental format on a stone plinth
Subject Description
A full-length standing figure of Sebastian Münster, the 16th-century cartographer and scholar. The figure is depicted in scholarly robes and a period-appropriate hat, holding his famous work 'Cosmographia'. The sculpture emphasizes the intellectual weight of the subject through sturdy proportions and a textured, aged appearance.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good to Very Good; exhibit signs of natural weathering and oxidation consistent with outdoor bronze exposure
Estimated Market Value
Not applicable (Public Monument); estimated replacement/insurance value $150,000 - $250,000
Auction Estimate
$80,000 - $120,000 (if sold as a unique cast)
Provenance History
Public commission by the city of Ingelheim am Rhein to commemorate the town's most famous son; located in the historic center near St. Remigius Church.
Art Historical Significance
Significant as a regional landmark and a key work in the post-war German tradition of commemorative public sculpture. It honors Münster, a polymath whose Cosmographia was the earliest German-language description of the world.
Notable Features
Distinguished by its tactile, non-traditional surface finish which deviates from smooth classical bronze casting, reflecting post-WWII aesthetic sensibilities.
Condition Issues
Surface oxidation, minor pitting from atmospheric pollution, and lichen growth on the base.
Conservation Recommendations
Periodic professional cleaning of the bronze to remove bird droppings and pollutants; application of a protective microcrystalline wax coating.
Collector Notes
Statue of Sebastian Münster in front of St. Remigius Church, Ingelheim