Sculpture of St. Anne

The sculpture of St. Anne, mother of Virgin Mary, was commissioned by Rudolf, Count of Lisov, from the Prague sculptor Matthias Wenzel Jäckel, and installed on Charles Bridge in 1707. In 1999, it was replaced by a copy made of Božanov sandstone by Vojtěch Adamec and Martin Pokorný; the original is currently stored in the Gorlitz Chapel at Vyšehrad. St. Anne is depicted holding the infant Jesus in her arms, with young Virgin Mary at her feet, whom St. Anne embraces around her shoulders with her left arm. The eye contact between the two female figures illustrates the loving relationship between mother and daughter; meanwhile, the infant Jesus holds a sphere in his left hand, as a symbol of his dominion over the world, while his right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing. The heraldic shield on the right side of the lower part of the pedestal bears the coat of arms of the patron, while the left side depicts the coat of arms of the family of his second wife, Anna Marie, née Trapp of Bissein and Caldonazzo.