Eidgenossenschaft, Marble sculpture at Federal Palace, Bern, Switzerland.
Eidgenossenschaft is a marble sculpture showing three human figures standing upright side by side in white Botticino stone. The work sits in front of the Federal Palace and forms a focal point of the plaza before the main building.
James Vibert created this sculpture in 1914 when Switzerland was actively shaping its national image through public art. The work emerged during a period when such symbolic representations at government buildings were becoming more common.
The three figures express how different regions of Switzerland see themselves as bound together through a shared political project. This message becomes clear when you stand in front of them and observe how they relate to each other.
The sculpture sits near the main entrance of the Federal Palace and is easy to reach on foot. The plaza around it provides plenty of space to walk around and view the figures from different angles.
Vibert trained under Auguste Rodin, and you can see this influence in the careful details and naturalistic modeling of the figures. This connection to Rodin makes the work noteworthy for art lovers and historians.
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