Summer room in the rear building

In the former barn, high above the city wall, is the so-called "summer room". This south-facing room, built in 1545, owes its name to the fact that it was only used during the summer months. It could not be heated and is far away from the busy everyday life of the city with its hectic pace, noise and stench. The summer room offered peace, fresh air and a wide view of the countryside - a space for leisure and relaxation.

The room gains its importance from the elaborate interior painting, which was probably created in two phases after 1575. While the ceiling panels show very finely executed floral motifs (forked leaf tendrils) in a very late medieval style, the walls are decorated in a three-zone mock architecture in grisaille painting, which is intended to simulate stone architecture. The arched panels in the middle zone that are still preserved show scenes from the Old Testament and confessional images of the Protestant denomination, of which Sebastian Hornmold was a strong exponent. Corresponding to these orthodoxy images, the two satirical puzzle pictures can be seen in the ceiling panels: a mockery of the old-believing Catholic denomination.

The south and east walls are no longer preserved in their original form. Since the walls, unlike in the rest of the house, were always left unplastered, the valuable paintings have suffered greatly.

One attraction of the summer room are the two painted medallions on the ceiling. In contrast to the other religious motifs, these are satirical depictions of the Catholic Church. Depending on the viewer's perspective, these so-called optical illusions show the cardinal and the pope, either church dignitaries, or their distortions as a fool with bells or a devil's face.

The Latin inscription on the depiction of the cardinal as the fool reads "You fools, when will you finally become wise", and on the depiction of the pope as the devil reads "The evil raven lays an evil egg".

Puzzle pictures with critical, often satirical content are typical art forms of the Renaissance. Similar motifs with partly identical inscriptions have been preserved on contemporary coins and medals. One of them probably served as a model for the depictions in the summer room.

Sebastian Hornmold, bailiff and first church council director in Württemberg, gave clear expression to his political views here

Conundrums with critical, often satirical content are typical art forms of the Renaissance. Similar motifs with sometimes identical inscriptions have been preserved on contemporary coins and medals. One of these probably served as a model for the depictions in the summer parlour.

Sebastian Hornmold, bailiff and first director of the church council in Württemberg, clearly expressed his political views here.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)