Institute of Art History of the Latvian Academy of Art Anna Ancāne ...

Erasmus. Hamburg environment also encouraged the use of rich Baroque
accents on classically restrained facades: volute gables with lush acanthus
ornaments, pilasters and festoons, tectonic portals with pilasters or
columns and rich sculptural finish. The most prominent Riga Baroque
masters – Hinrich Henicke, Johann Georg Heroldt, Johann Bodemer,
Hans Walter Schmiessel – belonged to the trade association in Hamburg.
Although the issue of Rupert Bindenschu’s activities before the arrival in
Riga remains problematic, his individual style contain references to
Amsterdam and Hamburg – two major metropolises of classical trends of
the time.
Brandenburg-Prussia played a major role in the dissemination of Dutch
influences; it promoted the spread of the new trend further north-east (for
example, by Cornelis Ryckwaert whose works have been inspired by
Pieter Post).
Southern Germany
Today we have a chance to at least partially complement Boriss Vipers’
thesis on the reassessment of Southern German influences in Riga’s
heritage of Baroque architecture. Connections are found in Alsace
(Strasbourg), Bavaria (Nuremberg), Swabian towns. But the Saxon
architect Wolf Caspar von Klengel’s conception of Dresden Palace tower
could be a prototype for Peter Marquardt’s tower constructions in
Hamburg that in turn inspired Riga St. Peter’s Church tower later.
Riga as a source of influence
Riga in the late 17 th century was not just a receiver and repeater of
impressions but also the provider of samples to follow. Several directions
of Riga-based architects and sculptors’ influences existed in the
geographically closest area: Riga Patrimonial District, Vidzeme,
particular phenomena in the Duchy of Courland as well as in Pärnu and
Narva.
CONCLUSIONS
1) In the 2 nd half of the 17 th century Riga’s fortifications were modernised
according to the Dutch and French fortification principles adopted by
Swedish engineers; this allowed to carry out a series of important changes
in urban planning – straightening and breakthroughs in the street network,
adapting to the regular scheme and shifting accents in the layout of main
avenues. The expanding of the town in the area between the ramparts was
significant.
2) Typological research results of Baroque Riga’s dwelling houses (as
based on the façade surveys from 1823) indicate 87 front-gabled houses
and over 200 side-gabled houses. In the most prominent houses there is a
specific and individual interpretation of Dutch Classicism, manifesting
the regional differences within the trend. In the rest of the buildings
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