The Puzzle on Vienna's Baeckerstrasse

By Billie Ann Lopez It may be the bespectacled ox that first catches and holds the eyes of passersby, or maybe it's the backgammon board. We can't help but wonder what this cartoon-like fresco remnant on the face of a building, just above street level on Baeckerstrasse, is telling us. Uncovered in the 1980s during restoration of this late Renaissance building, the tale told in the fresco relates to the Counter Reformation when Vienna was at war with itself and a participant in the conflagration consuming much of Europe at the time. The struggle culminated in the Thirty Years War (1618-1648), which pitted Protestants and Catholics against each other, each firmly convinced they had God on their side. Perhaps as much as 70% of Vienna's population had become Protestant following Martin Luther's challenge in 1520 to the established Catholic Church. Luther's death in 1546 did nothing to slow the Protestant movement in Vienna or elsewhere. Quite the contrary: By the time Ferdinand I called in the Jesuits in 1551 to put a stop to the Reformation and restore Catholic dominance, there may have been only four Catholic priests left in Viennese neighborhood parishes. The struggle lasted almost a hundred years and cost many thousands of lives before ending in a stalemate with the signing of the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. But back to deciphering the meaning of the Baeckerstrasse fresco. What we can readily see is that the bespectacled ox is reclining, seemingly unperturbed by the bared teeth of the menacing-looking wolf (some think it's a fox even though its snout isn't pointed) on the other side of the backgammon game board. One wonders if the ox has just won. It's thought that the Ox represents the Catholics, while the wolf (or fox) represents the Protestants. In Christian iconography, the Ox is a metaphor for patience, strength, docility, and humility. In this context, the use of the ox could reflect the willingness of the Catholics to submit, to labor diligently for the good of others. On the other hand, the wolf (or fox), as seen by Catholics of the times, symbolizes Protestant cunning and guile or any number of other Protestant evils including lust and greed. Close examination of the black dot hovering above the ox's nose reveals that it is actually a fly, which is a symbol of sin, the bearer of bad tidings, evil or pestilence. Of course, we can't be sure whose side he's on, but the man depicted in the scene is definitely wielding a fly-swatter. The presence of the backgammon game, a tactical game approved by the Church despite the game's use of dice, could be construed to demonstrate that there may be a way out of situations that appear hopeless if only one perseveres. Its symbolism recognizes that such games imitate life, that while chance or luck is a factor, the winner will often be the player who is better at assessing the situation or correctly anticipates the actions of the adversary. Now to those spectacles. Although there is a dispute as to whether Europeans or Chinese actually invented them, first mention of spectacles in Europe dates back to Roger Bacon in 1268. The first artist to depict them on a portrait was Tommaso da Modena in 1352. Domenico Ghirlandajo included them in his painting of "St. Jerome at his desk" in 1480, causing the spectacle-makers' guild to adopt St. Jerome as its patron Saint. In the context of the Baeckerstrasse fresco, the presence of the spectacles may be to emphasize the clearer vision of the Catholic church. What is not clearly evident is the partial message on a scroll that was added, one supposes, to clarify. In the early 18th century, the fresco was covered up when the house received a face-lifting, and later still, a porch was added. Before the 18th century when street names and numbers were introduced, addresses were known by their house signs. Today, the house that was "At the Sign of the Ox and Wolf" is at Baeckerstrasse 12 in the First District.

About the Author

Billie Ann Lopez was an American freelance writer, born and raised in Kansas. For many years she called Vienna, the city she loved, home. Billie Ann's articles tell you about the legends, places in Austria not often on the tourist maps and subjects close to her heart. Informative, descriptive and interesting she acquainted you with her Austria. Billie Ann Lopez passed away September 13th, 2003. She enriched our lives through her friendship, caring and writings. Billie Ann, you are greatly missed. Silvia McDonald

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