Wiedererweckung eines Meisterwerks frühklassizistischer Innenausstattung

The revival of a neoclassical masterpiece of interior design Study and partial restoration of the interior paneling of the Hermitage in Potsdam‘s New Garden The Potsdam Hermitage, built between 1794 and 1796, fell into disrepair because of neglect and vandalism after the Second World War. Finally in 1964, the building had to be entirely dismantled to make way for border fortifications between the two German states. Hence the paneling could only be preserved under unsuitable conditions in various places in Sanssouci Park, which resulted in its increasing decay. The first proper investigation into the half-timbered building and the condition of the paneling was undertaken in 2003. Based on these findings, new and further investigations followed in 2015 as part of master’s thesis that delved into the construction, the art technology used and conservation questions regarding the condition of the paneling. The temporary setup of the paneling helped to gain an idea of its present appearance and to assess the possibility of its relocation in the half-timbered building that had been reconstructed. This paper deals with the examination, the construction, the question of its setup, the partial restoration of one segment and the discussion of the paneling’s future presentation.