König Ludwig II. As a local born and raised in Prien, with Herrenchiemsee Castle so close by, he has naturally always been an integral part of my life.
Schon in jungen Jahren waren für mich die Bilder von König Ludwig II. immer präsent. Sei es bei meinen Ferienjobs am Hafen oder auch als ich mit dem Feßler Bus in die Grundschule gefahren bin. Erst vor ein paar Jahren wurde das Ganze durch ein neues schönes Wandporträt am Priener Bahnhof noch einmal verstärkt.
Yet even though King Ludwig II is omnipresent here, I felt that something was missing from the usual portrayals. He is always depicted as a dignified statesman in a classical style, but in my opinion, this does not do credit to his dreamy, mystical nature.
In a sense, it was always his exterior that was portrayed, but not his possible inner self.
To remedy this, I wanted to take him to my otherworld and help him become a dream or fantasy figure in his own right, one that would do justice to his title as the “Fairy-Tale King.” ("Märchenkönig")
While searching for an appropriate depiction, I naturally had to think of other famous portraits of monarchs, whether it was Napoleon or the Sun King, whom he so admired.
I asked myself: Why not something more generalissimo-like? A portrayal that shows him as a powerful and influential figure.
I was looking for a symbol that could highlight the connection to Bavaria, and what could be more fitting than the Bavarian Lion?
However, I noticed that the lion still seemed a bit “off” or misplaced in this mystical world. It needed a little something extra to clearly set it apart from reality.
My idea was that the lion should be made of a different material to emphasize its fantasy character.
Since I'm a big fan of nature and organic structures like bark and plants, my first idea was to make the lion out of wood or to design it to look like a tree. Something like a mane made of branches and twigs.
But as the process went on, the idea evolved further. I added a kind of bioluminescence so that light seemed to be coming from inside the tree.
Step by step, the lion became more and more luminous, until I finally came up with the idea of a “chrome lion.” Making it entirely out of chrome would have been too much, but I was heading in the right direction. It took on a more metallic look, and through the internal lights, I incorporated the theme of molten metal and lava.
The force that the lion channels into the ground through its paws also transforms the world around it. Such a powerful creature cannot fail to leave its mark on its surroundings. So, I opened up the environment, and in the process it became more and more apocalyptic.
This adds the necessary impact to the entire scene and underscores the historical meaning of this moment.
To give the image a local connection, I included the church from my hometown in the background.
It’s hard to pin a time frame on the whole scene. I see it more as a dream or a prophecy. Maybe the two of them are hunting an even bigger monster that’s destroying the world around them. I might want to explore this idea further to tell the story behind this moment.
How did this situation arise? And what happens next? These questions naturally come to mind for anyone who sees the picture. I’m really looking forward to seeing what ideas come to me, and I’m of course open to inspiration from anyone who’s excited about this work.
And last but not least, what does the torch in his hand signify, a modern-day Prometheus?
