Statue of Bishop Hans Tausen in Ribe

Distance: 0.11 Km

Johannes Bjerg's statue of the theologian Hans Tausen, 1942.

The theologian Hans Tausen (1494-1561) is one of the absolute leading figures of the Reformation in Denmark. Although supposedly of peasant birth, as a monk at Antvorskov Kloster he was given the opportunity to study theology at various universities, including in Wittenberg, where he made the acquaintance of Martin Luther. Soon he joined his reform movement and took the rebellious ideas home with him to the fatherland. In the showdown with the Catholic Church in Denmark, however, he met considerable opposition (not least when he got married), but after the Reformation in 1536 he increasingly enjoyed general recognition and in 1542 was appointed bishop of Ribe.

At the 400th anniversary of his episcopal marriage, a group of citizens in Ribe wanted to have a statue erected by the cathedral, and with financial support of various kinds, they succeeded in getting the sculptor Johannes Bjerg (1886-1955) to oversee the execution of the mighty bronze. The figure alone measures over 3 meters, a ratio which in itself helps to force the viewer respect. The mature facial expression and the heavy suit, whose vertical folds emphasize the upward-looking character of the figure, help to cement Hans Tavsen's undisputed position in Danish church history. Here is a man of the church portrayed as both a hero and a prophet, a manly advocate of the true faith and at the same time a devoted preacher of the gospel of Christmas, as we see it on the notice in his postil. In his portrayal of historical figures, Johannes Bjerg is often drier and more academic than is the case with his less restricted tasks, but right here the style seems extremely well chosen. 



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Statue of Hans Tavsen | Ribe Photographer: Destination Wadden Sea coast Copyright: Destination Wadden Sea Coast