In the historic centre of Olomouc you will find the fountains of Neptune and Hercules, which follow the pattern of depicting Roman deities popular in central and western Europe. Their author is the early Baroque sculptor Michal Mandik (c. 1640-1694) from Gdansk, who was active in the Czech Republic from 1669.

Fountain of Neptune

Mandik realised a fountain depicting the Roman god of water in 1683, commissioned by the Olomouc government. In order to avoid conflict with local sculptors, the central figure was probably not created in Olomouc, as might be assumed, but in a nearby quarry in the village of Maletin, from where the sandstone for the fountain was sourced.

The Neptune Fountain consists of a central figure of the god holding a trident pointing towards the water, symbolising the taming of the water elements. At Neptune's feet are four sea horses on a rock. Originally, the composition was enhanced by four turtles, which were removed from the fountain in the mid-18th century. The number four, which appears twice in the context of the fountain's iconography, symbolises the permanence and universality of the world, as well as, among other things, the four waters.

The composition was probably inspired by Georg Andreas Böckler's 1664 collection of engravings 'Architectura Curiosa Nova', especially pages 24, 86 (with a depiction of the Residenzbrunnen in Salzburg, from where the motif of a rock with four seahorses was taken) and 8 (with an image of an unspecified fountain).

The Fountain of Hercules

In 1687, Mandik began work on another fountain in Olomouc, with a depiction of Hercules. The figure of the hero was to stand on a body of water designed by the imperial architect and stonemason Václav Schüler. The fountain was originally located in the main square, on the site of the present-day Holy Trinity Column.

Hercules is depicted as the protector of the city, raising a weapon in his right hand - originally a sword, which was changed to a mace half a century later according to an ancient account - to slay a seven-headed hydra. In his left hand, the hero holds a chequered eagle, referring to the emblem of Moravia and the city's symbol. In creating his version, Mandik may have been inspired by the Hercules figure from a fountain in Augsburg.

Gdansk inspiration?

The similarity of the figures of Neptune and Hercules realised by Mandik in Olomouc has led numerous interpreters to seek inspiration for the composition in his native Gdansk. The fountain of Neptune, which is located at the most representative point of the city, was seen as the source of the composition.