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Trade and industry | 1700 up to 1750 | Mecklenburg until 1945

Hercules busts, so-called “Schwedenköpfe”

Bild
360° Ansicht
  • around 1700
  • oak
  • height with red colour: 83.7 cm, height with blue colour: 78.5 cm

The wooden busts today symbolise the Swedish Wismar. Two examples made of oak wood have survived and have different colours to show the connection with Mecklenburg (red/white) and Sweden (blue/yellow). They were originally part of a baroque ship’s decoration. Around 1800 a specific hairstyle was understood under the term “Schwedenkopf”: instead of the powdered braided wig the “Schwedenkopf” was worn as short natural hair.

This hairstyle was considered to be a symbol of modernity and intelligence. The Hercules busts also have this hairstyle. That is probably how they became known as “Schwedenköpfe.”

Look here for the original exhibit:

The exhibit refers to:

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Stadtgeschichtliches Museum der Hansestadt Wismar "Schabbell"

Beguinenstraße 4
23966 Wismar