Ref. 117844
Mod. M28504
Year 2018
Es ist notwendig, sich Paradiese zu schaffen, poetische Zufluchtsorte, wo man auf einige Zeit die schauderhafte Zeit, in der wir leben, vergessen kann
“It is essential to create paradises, poetic refuges, where one can forget the dreadful times in which we live”
King Ludwig II of Bavaria
Ludwig II : Monarch, Fairy-Tale King and patron of the arts
In a letter to his former governess, King Ludwig II of Bavaria, known to feel passionately about art and music, wrote “I want to remain an eternal mystery to myself and others” and people continue to be fascinated by the enigmatic figure. His call to duty came at the age of 18 when he held the destiny of a kingdom in his young hands. A proponent of absolutism, he revered a romantic ideal of kingship as represented by the French Sun King Louis XIV. After the restriction of Bavaria’s sovereignty in 1870 , Ludwig retreated more and more from the political arena and devoted his energies instead to music and art. Richard Wagner ‘s ‘Lohengrin’ was the first opera Ludwig ever attended and it would have a permanent influence on his aesthetic ideals. The swan became his royal emblem.
Also called the Fairy-Tale King and the Swan King, he exercited his penchant for elaborate castles by building three architectural masterpieces: Linderhof, Herrenchiemsee and Neuschwanstein, the fanciful vision of a medieval fortress. The swan, ever-present in Ludwig’s castles, inspired the design of this model. The artistically crafted Au 750 gold skeleton recalls the paintings adorning the walls of the throne room at Neuschwanstein. The platinum-coated clip symbolises a swan’s neck, endings in a swan’s head. Engraved on the platinum-coated cap ring , which is set with a ruby, is the code assigned to the opera ‘Lohengrin’ in the catalogue of Wagner’s works: WWV 75. Commemorating the world-famous fairy-tale castle Neuschwanstein, the MB 2018 Homage to Ludwig II bears a fine engraving of the castle on the handcrafted Au 750 gold nib. The shape of the cone is inspired by one of the castle’s towers. The fine engraving on the Au 750 gold cone symbolises a detail of the monarch’s royal seal, as does the platinum-coated crown on the top of the cap. Mother – of – pearl Montblanc emblem.
