PRAYMOBIL. Medieval art in motion
29.11.2025 - 15.03.2026

Opening with Lord Mayor Dr. Michael Ziemons:
Fri 28.11. at 6.00 pm in the church of St. Adalbert, Aachen,
from 7.00 pm: Exhibition viewing in the Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum

With the exhibition "Praymobil. Medieval Art in Motion", the Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum Aachen is presenting the world's first comprehensive show on a fascinating, hitherto little-researched phenomenon of medieval art: moving sculptures that were used as seemingly "living" figures in liturgy, religious games and popular beliefs.

Around 80 extraordinary objects from eight countries show how medieval artists combined movement, mechanics and the experience of faith - and how lively these works still are today.

A new chapter in medieval art

What rolls, what swings - and why does blood flow from the side of Christ? Did robot lions really exist in the Middle Ages?

For the first time, the Praymobil exhibition is dedicated to the moving sculptures of the Middle Ages, which amazed the faithful in processions, devotions and religious games. Whether Christ on a mobile palm donkey, a crucifix with movable arms or a Christ child that could be "born" - these works created amazing illusions of liveliness with simple means.

The show was curated by deputy director and head of the collection Michael Rief, co-curated by Dr. Dagmar Preising and Maria Geuchen.

"It was important for us to show that these moving figures were far more than mere curiosities," emphasizes Rief. "They possessed an immediate spiritual, emotional and performative power that deeply moved believers - and we are curious to see how they affect a modern audience today."

Heinrich Brötz, Aachen City Councillor for Education, Youth and Culture, emphasizes: "This exhibition may also reawaken precisely what has been lost over the centuries in the practice of faith: the sensuality and the playful element."

The technical aspects are also remarkable: "The solutions that medieval workshops found for movement are often astonishingly ingenious - pulleys and hinges still work today," says Rief. At the same time, the exhibition reveals that not all "miracles" were real: Tears or blood could also be staged - sometimes a lucrative business.

These are sculptures, mostly made of wood, but sometimes also of clay or metal, which were used in the late Middle Ages and early modern period to illustrate and bring to life the life of Christ and the Passion story as protagonists in spiritual plays. They were intended to create the impression that they were acting themselves for the "re-enactment" outside of church ceremonies and during liturgical celebrations. Since the late 1980s, the term "acting sculpture" has become established in art historical literature, but this can lead to misunderstandings, as the sculptures themselves do not act, but are moved. These include naked and clothed infants as well as cradles and cribs, the almost life-size palm donkeys mounted on mobile frames with Christ on horseback (also in miniature format for women's convents), which were pulled through the church quarter in a large procession on Palm Sunday; Crucifixes with swivel arms, with which the descent from the cross, lamentation and burial could be re-enacted with the participation of human actors, as well as grave-layers (Christ's body) and figures of the Ascension Christ, which were pulled into the "Holy Spirit Hole" in the church vault on the day of the Ascension.

The moving sculptures also include, as is still little known, Marian figures such as the Maria gravida (Mary in hope), from which the Christ child could be removed from the womb; Madonnas with the child detachably attached; depictions of the Mother of God who herself or her Christ children had a rotating head; Marian figures with flowing tears; Mary as the Mother of Sorrows with the body of Christ detachable for mourning or burial.

The exhibition also includes sculptures that could be used to illustrate several biblical events: images of Christ, which could be used in the context of the Passion story in the Ecce homo scene, as well as the Man of Sorrows and the Christ of the Entombment; and Infants of Christ, which were pinned to the Virgin Mary and used on cushions during processions at Candlemas or for placement on the altar.

It is an exciting aspect, which is not generally known, that so many sculptures were actually used and moved in the liturgy and devotional practice of the late Middle Ages, thus giving them life. Sculptures from this period are usually associated with static objects.

Change of perspective: beyond pomp and splendor

Praymobil specifically focuses on objects that were created outside of courtly or ecclesiastical art and were popular in the everyday religious life of the population.

Museum director Till-Holger Borchert explains: "The title Praymobil deliberately plays with the ambiguity of prayer (pray) and movement (mobil). It is intended to arouse curiosity and shows: These figures were not rigid images, but acting actors in a religious production." Rief adds: "We wanted to find a title that would arouse interest without trivializing the objects. Praymobil combines spirituality and movement in a tongue-in-cheek way - that's exactly what this is about."

The exhibition ranges from the late Middle Ages to 19th century continuations and living traditions of the present day, such as the "Streuengelchen" custom in Aachen, in which a moving angel figure rains sweets onto the street.

"Even today, people are looking for moments in which things come to life - whether in digital worlds, immersive art installations or religious rituals," says Borchert. "The need for presence, touch and wonder is timeless."

Praymobil is aimed at a broad audience. The everyday, sensory approach opens up new ways of cultural participation - regardless of age, origin, religion or previous knowledge. Families, young people, school classes and other visitors will find exciting access to the world of the Middle Ages. At the same time, the show offers added value for experts with new research findings and rarely shown exhibits. The exhibition is accompanied by a varied program of guided tours, workshops, lectures and performances.

A catalog of the exhibition has been published by Imhof Verlag.

Praymobil is sponsored by:

Peter und Irene Ludwig Stiftung, Ernst von Siemens Kunststiftung, Kunststiftung NRW, Kulturstiftung der Länder, Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft des Landes NRW, Landschaftsverband Rheinland, Renate König-Stiftung, Sparkassen-Kulturstiftung Rheinland, Jugend- und Kulturstiftung der Sparkasse Aachen, Sparkasse Aachen and the Museumsverein Aachen e.V.

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