Every seven years, the traditional Coopers’ dance begins on the Epiphany on Marienplatz in front of the City Hall. This Munich crafts custom, the only public one still existing, celebrates victory over the plague in 1517. It was reason enough for Resl Schröder-Lechner to immortalise one of the dapper craftsmen of the art of barrel-making in a figurine. The red-coated dancer is cheerfully swinging his green boxwood garland. It is most likely a charming coincidence that the gentleman with the moustache resembles the current Mayor of Munich. For when the Austrian sculptress designed this dancing Cooper in 1988, Christian Ude was still five years away from moving into City Hall.