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"Herodot in Olympia", study for an Austrian Parliament Building frieze by August Eisenmenger

In 1883, the architect Theophil Hansen solicited proposals for a program of decorative friezes to adorn the chamber of the former House of Representatives (Abgeordnetenhaus) in the newly constructed Austrian Parliament Building in Vienna. Conceived within a framework of classical and civic-humanist ideals, the project sought to visually articulate the philosophical and political foundations of modern parliamentary governance. Among the artists invited to contribute was August Eisenmenger, who submitted several preparatory studies, including a composition titled Herodot in Olympia (Herodotus at Olympia) and was awarded the commission for the frieze program.

This work portrays the ancient Greek historian Herodotus reciting his Histories at the Olympic Games—an allegorical meditation on democratic discourse, public oratory, and the civic function of historiography. The subject matter resonated strongly with Hansen’s broader iconographic program for the friezes, which aimed to represent paradigmatic scenes of public deliberation, legislative assembly, and the pursuit of justice—concepts central to the identity of a constitutional state.

According to the Dorotheum Auction House (https://www.dorotheum.com/en/l/9320641/), Eisenmenger’s study formed the basis for the ninth panel in a fifteen-part frieze ultimately realized in 1886 for the Imperial Council Chamber. The reverse of the sketch bears an inscription identifying its intended placement: "in the former House of Representatives, center, 1st picture right." Executed in oil on canvas mounted on cardboard, the work measures 32 x 29 cm and remains preserved in its original frame.
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