Dresden has been known as “Florence on the Elbe” since back in the 19th century. This may seem an unlikely nickname at first, as Florence and Dresden have developed in very different ways – one in the Italian region of Tuscany and the other in the German state of Saxony. Take a closer look, however, and you will soon see parallels between the two cities. A good reason for A. Lange & Söhne to choose to hold a product presentation in Florence.
A. Lange & Söhne can trace its origins back to Saxony’s state capital, Dresden – a city more than 800 years old. In 1845, the 30-year-old watchmaker Ferdinand Adolph Lange left the city to set up a watch manufactory in the small town of Glashütte in the Erzgebirge region some 30 kilometres south of Dresden. His pocket watches became famous all around the world.
Now, A. Lange & Söhne makes premium mechanical wristwatches in Glashütte – just a few thousand timepieces are finished and assembled by hand at the modern workshops each year. The company still has close ties to Dresden. The first Lange boutique opened there ten years ago. The company also sponsors the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, a world-famous complex of 14 museums with collections of important artefacts from all five continents, including works by Italian painters such as Bernardo Bellotto, who is known as Canaletto. Florence is also known for its extensive art collections.
There are also parallels in the architecture and urban features of the two cities. Florence experienced its heyday in the Renaissance, while Dresden’s golden age was the late baroque. Many of its baroque buildings were inspired by Florentine architecture. Probably the most famous example is the Frauenkirche. Built by George Bähr and destroyed in the Second World War, the church was rebuilt just a few years ago. Its stone dome resembles that of Florence’s cathedral. Echoes of the Italian city can also be found in Dresden’s Zwinger palace, which is unsurprising given that its creator, the sculptor Balthasar Permoser, studied in Florence. The same is true of various other buildings in the historic city centre which, like Florence, has a river running through it.
The two cities have been twinned since 1978 and are magnets for international visitors. Young people from all around the world study at their large universities. Furthermore, numerous artists have originated from, worked in and been inspired by both cities right from the start. For example, the Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci spent most of his youth in Florence. As a painter, he intensively studied colour theory and contemplated matters such as the colour of the sky and what makes it blue. He used lapis lazuli pigments for his paintings. One kilo of this semi-precious stone yields just 20 grams of pigment, making it the purest and most valuable blue in the world.
Blue is a source of fascination for the product developers at A. Lange & Söhne too, which is why new products dedicated to this colour will be unveiled in Florence on 16 September 2017. As part of this watch presentation, guests will explore the city’s pulsating cultural scene, which brings together tradition, inspiration and craftsmanship. Today, the cradle of the Renaissance is a hotbed for creative youngsters, who come to the city to breathe new life into old craft techniques. They will offer exclusive insights into the work of painters, photographers, designers, chefs and craftspeople at their studios, schools of art, workshops and laboratories. The CEO of Lange, Wilhelm Schmid, commented: “We would like to share our passion for craftsmanship and watchmaking with others. Florence is the perfect place to show how both of these can be part of a contemporary culture which is both imaginative and lively.”
Craftsmanship in its perfection
Tuscan blue nights
