Allegory of Architecture

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Many of the sculptures now on display in the Summer Garden are relics from the early 18th century. In the 19th century, the original design for arranging decorative sculptures in the Summer Garden was lost to time, leaving behind a collection of scattered and disorganized pieces that were often moved to new locations, thereby erasing any semblance of their former layout. However, towards the end of the 20th century, all sculptures were carefully rearranged to reflect the aesthetic ideals characteristic of the early 18th century. Allegorical sculpture is a style that conveys abstract ideas through symbolic representations, often personifying these concepts in figurative forms. In Western societies, statues of Lady Justice are ubiquitous, symbolizing justice as she typically holds scales and a sword, while statues of Prudence embody truth by holding a mirror and grasping a serpent. Here lies the allegorical representation of architecture: a woman stands proudly, clutching building plans and architectural drawings in one hand, gazing upwards towards the heavens – where the true worth of an architect's work is revealed.