Die Gräfin Cosel
Series of animated movies for the Museum Burg Stolpen / Germany
(1680–1765)
The project
Together with exhibition designer and good friend Jan Köpper I conceived and realized this series of animated short films for the museum „Burg Cosel“ of the Staatliche Schlösser, Burgen und Gärten Sachsen gemeinnützige GmbH. In order to bring younger visitors closer to the story of Anna Constantia Countess of Cosel the films were created, which offer insights into her life in short, entertaining scenes. They then get the additional information in the exhibition. The films can be downloaded to your cell phone via QR code and watched on site.
Anna Constantia
von Brockdorff
Anna Constantia von Brockdorff was the mistress of the Saxon King Augustus the Strong. She was an intelligent, influential and strong woman who knew how to stand up for her interests. Due to her political will and tendency to stand in the best light at court, she was not well regarded by everyone around her.
The film shows how she makes a great entrance to the court.
The marriage to August der Starke
Although she was only a mistress, she had higher ambitions. She was able to convince August the Strong to sign a marriage vow to her, even though he was still married to his wife, the queen.
The Crown
There is an anecdote that Anna Constantia was so obsessed with the idea of becoming queen that she had a hairclip made with the emblem of a crown, which she wore to make her claims valid.
The separation
Augustus the Strong found the strength and dominance of Anna Constantia, by now appointed Countess of Cosel, too much and after much back and forth, he demanded his marriage vows back and banished her to Stolpen Castle, where she had to live under house arrest for the remaining 48 years of her life.
The death
of August the Strong
Even when Augustus the Strong died, their joint children did not dissolve the house arrest. She remained at Stolpen Castle.
The end
Of course, as a countess under house arrest, she was looked after in a manner befitting her rank, but one must not delude oneself that it was not a kind of prison into which August the Strong had thrown her after he could no longer cope with her strong will. After the main building burned down, she moved into the tower of the castle. She died in 1765 at the age of 84 in Stolpen Castle.