The Art in the Architecture @museum.de

M: The double doors by which you entered our museum are a work of art in themselves. Originally, the entrance was rectangular, but in 2009, we reverted back to the historical layout and reinstated the round arch that’s typical of the Moselle region. The doors are made of glass with a metal frame. The artistic glass painting is by Andreas Armin d'Orfey, an artist who mainly works in the field of sacred Christian art.

F: The door tells several stories, all at the same time. In the centre, you see the Holy Family – Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus – surrounded by grape vines. By choosing that element, the artist establishes a connection to our wine-growing region, but there’s also a link to Christianity. Because in the Gospel according to John, Christ says:

M: "I am the vine, you are the branches".

F: Above the family hovers an angel with oversize wings. As God’s messenger, the angel embodies the link between heaven and earth. Below the family sits King David, playing his harp.

M: The sleeping figure on David’s right is his father Jesse. The pair represent Joseph's family tree. At Jesse's feet are two foxes, also asleep. To quote the Old Testament:

F: "Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards; our vineyards that are in bloom!"

M: That’s why Andreas Armin d'Orfey portrays the foxes as sleeping. Because sleepers can do no harm.

F: Above this scene are two figures carrying a huge bunch of grapes. This references another story from the Old Testament, in which two spies were dispatched to the Promised Land and returned there, laden with grapes. At that point, the Israelites knew:

M: "Here we shall stay ...

F: ... for this is our land".

M: Other scenes show the Holy Family on the flight into Egypt; the Three Wise Men following the Star of Bethlehem; the Visitation, where a pregnant Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth....

F: ... and a shepherd with his sheep, hurrying to witness the nativity.