The Schinkel Family in a Plant Motif

An arabesque motif entwines the calyx of an acanthus, in which we see a representation of the Schinkel family. The ornamental arrangement, format, and the classical style in which the various figures are represented, leads us to presume that the work served a decorative function – for instance, as decoration for a box, an item of domestic furniture, or perhaps a wall surface. The objects shown in conjunction with the family members serve a figurative function, symbolizing male and female virtues; they also establish links between Schinkel’s profession as an architect with contemporary conceptions of his role within the family and society at large.