Prof. Dr. Manfred Schuller

Chair for History of Architecture, Historic Building Archaeology and Preservation/ Institute for History of Architecture, History of Art and Restoration | Munich University of Technology

In the section building archaeology two PhD students will participate in the research project about the west choir of the Naumburg Cathedral. Head of the scientific work is Dr.-Ing. Manfred Schuller, professor for history, building archaeology and preservation at Munich University of Technology.
The investigations in the field of building archaeology are concentrated on the statues of the founders and their adjacent architecture in the west choir and the west rood screen. An overview about sculpture and architecture in their interaction is aimed at.  

The first dissertation focuses on the key question at which point in time the sculptures were integrated in the architecture. Moreover, the researchers are interested in the technical process from the selection of the stone to the incorporation of the workpiece in the architecture of the west choir. How did the block of stone from which the statues were carved look like in the quarry? Which techniques and tools did the Naumburg Master use to sculpt and complete the stone?

In order to clarify the technical status and the inner construction of the sculptures and reliefs, a close cooperation with the partial projects of the fields of art technology and conservation sciences and history of art is necessary. The detailed measurements of selected statues serve as the basis for the partial projects of art technology and conservation sciences. Innovative technologies like digitised geometrical 3D-models in high resolution are complemented by the traditional and essential manual measurement. This mixture allows for the production of high-quality results and efficient stocktaking.

The second dissertation discusses questions about the history, architectural decoration and construction of the west rood screen. Until today the extent and the impact of the fire of 1532 have been unanswered. Which parts of the west rood screen were repaired? How did the historical entrances look like and how were they locked? How and in which time course and chronology were the pieces of the west rood screen integrated into the choir architecture?

From the cooperation with the partial project in the field of natural sciences building archaeology expects further information, for example about the carefully selected materials.  

The findings of building archaeology will be linked closely to issues of conservators and art historians. On the whole, a new quality of investigation in architecture and sculpture is expected.