Grave Panel of Wichmann of Seeburg
Another grave panel was made in the Magdeburg foundry about forty years after the bronze panel of Friedrich of Wettin. But whom does it represent? Even when it is not possible to ascertain the subject with total certainty, it is often thought that Friedrich of Wettin’s immediate successor, Wichmann of Seeburg, is the figure represented in this panel, i.e. the bronze works are considered to be grave panels of two men who held held the archepiscopate during the same period. To what extent are the two grave panels comparable? If we study the bronze more closely, the posture of Wichmann of Seeburg strikes the viewer as more relaxed, His fingers hold the crosier, but do not clutch it, his head is lowered slightly and his robe seems to flow more softly and naturally. There are no finely carved interior drawings, but the folds are allotted more space and they enliven a figure that is strictly symmetrical. The figure appears gentler and more three-dimensional. It seems to be - just as we found it in the grave panel of Friedrich of Wettin - a clearly outlined portrait of a personality. So, how did Wichmann of Seeburg fulfill his position as archbishop from 1152 to 1192? He increased (as did his predecessor) the landholding of the archbishopric. But he was also concerned about the organization of public life and in 1188 he had existing privileges and common laws summarised in what became known as „Magdeburger Recht“, which was conferred on numerous towns in subsequent years, and remained in force for a long time. Moreover, he is credited with being a major factor in enabling a pope and an emperor to make peace in Venice 1177 – he was a close friend of Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa. These successes cast his archiepiscopate in a different light compared with those of both his predecessor and his successor, and correspond to the representation of his figure on the grave panel.