Master Theodoric, in Latin Magister Theodoricus (before 1328? - before March 8, 1381, Prague, active - ca. 1360–1380) was a Bohemian painter. He is the best documented
Bohemia
Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...
n
Gothic painter. He was the favourite
court painter
A court painter was an artist who painted for the members of a royal or princely family, sometimes on a fixed salary and on an exclusive basis where the artist was not supposed to undertake other work. Painters were the most common, but the cour ...
of
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV ( cs, Karel IV.; german: Karl IV.; la, Carolus IV; 14 May 1316 – 29 November 1378''Karl IV''. In: (1960): ''Geschichte in Gestalten'' (''History in figures''), vol. 2: ''F–K''. 38, Frankfurt 1963, p. 294), also known as Charle ...
.
[Fajt J, 1998, p. 226] and the first Bohemian painter whose name can be linked to a body of work.
[Vítovský, Několik poznámek k problematice Karlštejna, Zprávy památkové péče 11, 1992. pp 1-14] Theodoric is considered the chief representative of the phase of
International Gothic
International Gothic is a period of Gothic art which began in Burgundy, France, and northern Italy in the late 14th and early 15th century. It then spread very widely across Western Europe, hence the name for the period, which was introduced by th ...
known as "the Soft style". His masterpiece is the Chapel of the Holy Cross at Charles' newly completed
Karlštejn Castle
Karlštejn Castle ( cs, hrad Karlštejn; german: Burg Karlstein) is a large Gothic castle founded in 1348 by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor-elect and King of Bohemia. The castle served as a place for safekeeping the Imperial Regalia as well ...
, near
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
, containing a large series of slightly over-lifesize half-length panel portraits of saints and other notable figures on a
gold ground
Gold ground (both a noun and adjective) or gold-ground (adjective) is a term in art history for a style of images with all or most of the background in a solid gold colour. Historically, real gold leaf has normally been used, giving a luxurious ...
. The whole decoration of the chapel was commissioned in 1359 and completed over a number of years. The decoration of the Chapel of the Holy Cross was unique and unprecedented at the north of the Alps. Theodoric's
oeuvre
Oeuvre(s) or Œuvre(s) may refer to:
* A work of art; or, more commonly, the body of work of a creator
Books
* ''L'Œuvre'', a novel by Émile Zola
* ''Œuvres'', a work by Emil Cioran
* ''Œuvres'', a work by Auguste Brizeux
* ''Oeuvres'', a wor ...
is not comparable to anything in European art after the mid-14th century (1360th).
Life
He most likely came to
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
from the
Rhineland
The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section.
Term
Historically, the Rhinelands ...
(workshop of William of Cologne?)
[Jiří Fajt, in: Drake Boehm B, Fajt J, 2005, p. 13-14] following a study trip to northern
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
in the 1350s. Pujmanová states that in about 1309 a sculptor described as 'Magister Theodoricus de Alemania', who could have been an ancestor of his and his brother - the painter Giletto, were active at the court of
Charles II of Anjou in Naples. The waiting period for civic rights in Prague was three years, and the newly arrived person wasn't able to become a member of the fraternity of painters straightaway. The date he was entered in the list of the Prague painters' fraternity (Brotherhood of Saint Luke, established 1346), where he was described as a superior ("primus magister") and as "malerius imperatoris", is uncertain. Earlier it was assumed to be 1348, however it is possible that an honorary function was only offered to him when he executed the painting of the royal palace at
Prague Castle
Prague Castle ( cs, Pražský hrad; ) is a castle complex in Prague 1 Municipality within Prague, Czech Republic, built in the 9th century. It is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic. The castle was a seat of power for kin ...
in 1360.
In 1359 he is mentioned as "malerius imperatoris" and owner of a house in
Hradčany
Hradčany (; german: Hradschin), the Castle District, is the district of the city of Prague, Czech Republic surrounding Prague Castle.
The castle is one of the biggest in the world at about in length and an average of about wide. Its history ...
in the ''Records of the Hradčany town''. His house was mentioned once again in 1368 (house no. 185/IV above Úvoz on Hradčany Square. Between 1359 and 1367 he worked as the leading court painter of
Charles IV in
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
and at
Karlštejn Castle
Karlštejn Castle ( cs, hrad Karlštejn; german: Burg Karlstein) is a large Gothic castle founded in 1348 by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor-elect and King of Bohemia. The castle served as a place for safekeeping the Imperial Regalia as well ...
. The emperor called his painter and courtier ''Pictor noster et familiaris''. In a special document of 28 April 1367,
Charles IV certified that Theodoric's court and fields in the village of
Mořina would be freed of all taxes and other charges. This privilege also applied to Theodoric's heirs and was granted in recognition of his decoration of the royal chapel at
Karlštejn
Karlštejn Castle ( cs, hrad Karlštejn; german: Burg Karlstein) is a large Gothic castle founded in 1348 by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor-elect and King of Bohemia. The castle served as a place for safekeeping the Imperial Regalia as well as ...
.
Theodoric's court was mentioned again in 1381, when it was sold, in a letter by
Wenceslaus IV
Wenceslaus IV (also ''Wenceslas''; cs, Václav; german: Wenzel, nicknamed "the Idle"; 26 February 136116 August 1419), also known as Wenceslaus of Luxembourg, was King of Bohemia from 1378 until his death and King of Germany from 1376 until he w ...
. Mikuláš Mendl of Jílové, father of the goldsmith Jorg, and the goldsmith Jan Waczenser, sold the court to Zdena, the widow of Ješek Mráz of Lazevice. This document is the only one that establishes Theodoric's death before 8 March 1381 and indicates that he left no descendants.
Work
Theodoric's magnum opus is a collection of panel paintings and wall paintings that were done on the commission of
Charles IV for the Chapel of the Holy Cross at
Karlštejn
Karlštejn Castle ( cs, hrad Karlštejn; german: Burg Karlstein) is a large Gothic castle founded in 1348 by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor-elect and King of Bohemia. The castle served as a place for safekeeping the Imperial Regalia as well as ...
. All together, there are 129 works, all of saints, prophets, or angels. The
National Gallery in Prague
The National Gallery Prague ( cz, Národní galerie Praha, NGP), formerly the National Gallery in Prague (), is a state-owned art gallery in Prague, which manages the largest collection of art in the Czech Republic and presents masterpieces of Cze ...
said that they "only few equals in the world: we believe that it is no exaggeration to say that they bear comparison with such artistic monuments and phenomena as the Arena in
Padua
Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of the ...
, the churches at
Assisi
Assisi (, also , ; from la, Asisium) is a town and ''comune'' of Italy in the Province of Perugia in the Umbria region, on the western flank of Monte Subasio.
It is generally regarded as the birthplace of the Latin poet Propertius, born aroun ...
or Sta,
Croce in
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
and the palace of the popes in
Avignon
Avignon (, ; ; oc, Avinhon, label=Provençal dialect, Provençal or , ; la, Avenio) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region of So ...
."
Known for his bold and vigorous style, he is seen as a central figure in the development of Bohemian art. As many other Gothic painters, he used very bright and attention-grabbing colors and bold lines. He painted powerful figures in small frames, filling the viewer with the notion of monumentality. Famous for his use of light and reflection, he created the illusion of endless space in his work by allowing light to travel beyond the frame. Art historians have disagreed on several aspects of Theodoric's career. One historian noted that Theodoric was a "unique phenomenon" whose works could not be explained by stylistic evolution, as there were no precedents for his art work, making one believe that he may have been self-taught. Another scholar holds an opposite opinion—that he was influenced both by Italian and French contemporary art.
Theodoric followed on from the work of his predecessor in the service of
Charles IV, the
Master of the Luxembourg Genealogy
Master of the Luxembourg Genealogy (or: Master of the Karlštejn Genealogy) was the court painter of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. He is referred to by his most important work, the murals with figures of the monarchs in the imperial palace at ...
, who painted the decoration of the imperial castle-palace at
Karlštejn
Karlštejn Castle ( cs, hrad Karlštejn; german: Burg Karlstein) is a large Gothic castle founded in 1348 by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor-elect and King of Bohemia. The castle served as a place for safekeeping the Imperial Regalia as well as ...
and the 'relic scenes' in the ''Chapel of the Virgin Mary'' between 1356 and 1357. This master was familiar with Franco-Flemish art of the 1350th and brought major innovations to mural painting in Bohemia. Several panel paintings ascribed to Theodoric's workshop repeat the typology of faces and patterns of movement in figures of the Genealogy. According to Homolka, two heavily damaged panel paintings of SS Peter and Paul from the ''Chapel of the Holy Cross'' could have directly originated in the workshop of the Master of the Luxembourg Genealogy, since the technology of their foundation layers is more typical of mural painting and thus differs significantly from the other paintings.
Theodoric's workshop carried out the unique overall decoration of the ''Chapel of the Holy Cross'' at
Karlštejn Castle
Karlštejn Castle ( cs, hrad Karlštejn; german: Burg Karlstein) is a large Gothic castle founded in 1348 by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor-elect and King of Bohemia. The castle served as a place for safekeeping the Imperial Regalia as well ...
between 1360 and 1365. The chapel belongs to the tradition of lavishly decorated reliquary chapels that include the emperor chapel in
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
,
Sancta Sanctorum
The Sancta Sanctorum ( it, Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Palatio ad Sancta Sanctorum) is a Roman Catholic chapel entered via the ''Scala Sancta'' (Holy Staircase) of the Lateran Palace in Rome. It was the original private chapel of the papacy before it ...
in the
Lateran Palace
The Lateran Palace ( la, Palatium Lateranense), formally the Apostolic Palace of the Lateran ( la, Palatium Apostolicum Lateranense), is an ancient palace of the Roman Empire and later the main papal residence in southeast Rome.
Located on St. ...
, or
Sainte Chapelle
The Sainte-Chapelle (; en, Holy Chapel) is a royal chapel in the Gothic style, within the medieval Palais de la Cité, the residence of the Kings of France until the 14th century, on the Île de la Cité in the River Seine in Paris, France.
Co ...
in Paris. The decoration comprises 129 (originally 130) panel paintings in four rows, portraying the half-length figures of male saints, female saints and prophets who represented the '
Army of Heaven' guarding the relics kept in the chapel. Several of the picture frames had small openings into which reliquaries could be inserted. The depiction of the saints in the ''Holy Cross Chapel'' was directly linked to the veneration of their relics. The presence of relics of the Passion perhaps served to guarantee, that on his return Christ would descend to the chapel.
With the stylisation of the figures, the abandoning of the Gothic linear style and the modelling of the faces and drapery using light and shade, Theodoric's paintings surpass the preceding artistic style. It is clear that he was acquainted with French grisaille painting. The pictures can be attributed to Theodoric on the basis of analysing the underdrawings and comparing the execution of the painting. The drawn designs of the compositions, details of the faces and drapery, as well as the overall completion of the most important portraits in the Chapel of the Holy Cross were ascribed to Theodoric. Theodoric's brush drawing on the heads of the paintings is delicate and firm. On the draperies it is strong and energetic and overlaps onto the frame.
[Věra Frömlová, Notes on the decoration of the Chapel of the Holy Cross, in: Fajt J, 1998, pp. 508-515]
Study of the typology of the heads showed that the shape of the head and the details of the face, i.e. eyes, nose, are completely identical in a number of cases, as though they originated through tracing. However, some of the faces of saints captivate the viewer's attention with their prominent, seemingly individualized features and psychologized expressions, which anticipate portrait painting of 15th century. The portrait of St
Luke the Evangelist
Luke the Evangelist (Latin: '' Lucas''; grc, Λουκᾶς, '' Loukâs''; he, לוקאס, ''Lūqās''; arc, /ܠܘܩܐ לוקא, ''Lūqā’; Ge'ez: ሉቃስ'') is one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of t ...
might even be the autoportrait of Theodoric himself.
Specialised craftsmen took care of a series of secondary tasks such as preparing the picture panels, the plastic decoration and goldsmith's elements. There are no records of the painters employed at Theodoric's workshop, however there must have been several of them judging by the scale of the commission and the short time frame of execution, as well as by the ascertained types of underdrawings, confirmed by
infrared reflectography
Infrared (IR), sometimes called infrared light, is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than those of visible light. It is therefore invisible to the human eye. IR is generally understood to encompass wavelengths from around ...
. Certain art historians even suppose that several masters and their workshop collaborators were involved.
In the ''Chapel of the Holy Cross'' there are two places that testify to the juxtaposition of different painting styles.
They can be found in the perfectly executed preparatory drawings on the altar wall that is then repeated in a simpler form or in mirror reverse in the underdrawings of the paintings. Theodoric's predecessor, the
Master of the Luxembourg Genealogy
Master of the Luxembourg Genealogy (or: Master of the Karlštejn Genealogy) was the court painter of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. He is referred to by his most important work, the murals with figures of the monarchs in the imperial palace at ...
, in all likelihood created the drawn designs on the wall of the ''Chapel of the Holy Cross''. Theodoric presumably devised the concept of the entire Chapel about 1360, establishing the composition and palette of all the paintings.
His distinctive painting style can be identified in several portraits of the prophets, kings and knights that are part of the overall series.
Innovations in the form of painted
still life
A still life (plural: still lifes) is a work of art depicting mostly wikt:inanimate, inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or artificiality, m ...
s appear in the panel paintings of the
Church Fathers
The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were ancient and influential Christian theologians and writers who established the intellectual and doctrinal foundations of Christianity. The historical per ...
that originate in Theodoric's workshop (
Saint Augustine
Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Af ...
,
Saint Ambrose
Ambrose of Milan ( la, Aurelius Ambrosius; ), venerated as Saint Ambrose, ; lmo, Sant Ambroeus . was a theologian and statesman who served as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397. He expressed himself prominently as a public figure, fiercely promo ...
,
Saint Gregory
Pope Gregory I ( la, Gregorius I; – 12 March 604), commonly known as Saint Gregory the Great, was the bishop of Rome from 3 September 590 to his death. He is known for instigating the first recorded large-scale mission from Rome, the Gregoria ...
). Clearly made by another talented artist, these paintings stand out with their unusual degree of realism, the spatial design of their
still life
A still life (plural: still lifes) is a work of art depicting mostly wikt:inanimate, inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or artificiality, m ...
s and their sophisticated colour scheme. With these qualities, they anticipate the development of painting progressing towards the early 15th century and the northern European Renaissance.
Master Bertram
Master Bertram (c.1345–c.1415), also known as Meister Bertram and Master of Minden, was a German International Gothic painter primarily of religious art.
Life
Bertram was born in Minden. He is first recorded in Hamburg in 1367, and li ...
, who was later active in
Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
, utc_offset1 = +1
, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
, evidently worked in Theodoric's workshop. The
Master of the Třeboň Altarpiece __NOTOC__
The Master of the Třeboň Altarpiece (german: Master of Wittingau) was a Bohemian painter active in Prague around 1380–1390. His name is derived from the Třeboň Altarpiece from the church of Saint Eligius at the Augustinian convent ...
and the artist who painted the
Votive Panel of Jan Očko of Vlašim
The Votive Panel of Jan Očko of VlašimAlternative names: ''Votive Picture of Jan Očko of Vlašim'', ''Votive Painting of Jan Očko of Vlašim'', ''Votive Panel of Archbishop Očko of Vlašim'', ''Votive Panel of Archbishop Jan Očko of Vlašim'' ...
most probably also came out of Theodoric's workshop as well. In terms of its technology and composition, the mural painting of the Adoration of the Three Kings in the Saxon Chapel of
St Vitus Cathedral is similar to Theodoric's paintings. According to Homolka, the illuminators of the A2 and A3 Chapter House Bibles had much in common with Theodoric or else came out of his workshop. Although the
International Gothic
International Gothic is a period of Gothic art which began in Burgundy, France, and northern Italy in the late 14th and early 15th century. It then spread very widely across Western Europe, hence the name for the period, which was introduced by th ...
"Soft style" had no direct successors, the context of the workshop itself influenced succeeding generations of Bohemian Gothic painters.
The technique of Theodoric's panel paintings
The preparation of the panels (beechwood), including a double-layered siliceous and chalk base, is identical to practice in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
but doesn't appear in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. The preparatory black underdrawing in brush is linear and highly detailed in places. In the final painting, however, numerous divergences have been found, for example in the position of hands. The preparatory drawing is covered with a layer of oil-based lead white paint. This layer also reflects diffuse light falling on it through translucent lazure layers and shines through the uppermost parts of the drapery. The painting itself is executed in egg tempera alternating with layers of oil. The oil base enabled both the arranging of contrasting colour layers and the gradual modelling of the volume. Theodoric's painting is characterised by laying down of semi-lazure layers with the help of the slow-drying oil (possibly walnut) base that enabled
wet-on-wet
Wet-on-wet, or ''alla prima'' (Italian, meaning ''at first attempt''), direct painting or au premier coup, is a painting technique in which layers of wet paint are applied to previously administered layers of wet paint. Used mostly in oil paint ...
painting.
In the flesh tones, the moist oil base allows the modelling of smooth transitions into a single layer by adding pigment ''
alla prima
Wet-on-wet, or ''alla prima'' (Italian, meaning ''at first attempt''), direct painting or au premier coup, is a painting technique in which layers of wet paint are applied to previously administered layers of wet paint. Used mostly in oil paint ...
'' (
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...
).
It was necessary for other specialised artists, who created a complex system of decorations, to collaborate on the final form of the pictures. These included relief decoration of the background and frame of the pictures (pastiglia), glued plastic decoration, small goldsmith's applications cast from tin and lead into moulds, the gilding of the background and goldsmith's products as, for example, small crosses attached to the panel with silver nails.
File:Mistr Theodorik, Sv. Lukáš Evangelista, Národní galerie v Praze.jpg, St Luke
Luke the Evangelist (Latin: '' Lucas''; grc, Λουκᾶς, '' Loukâs''; he, לוקאס, ''Lūqās''; arc, /ܠܘܩܐ לוקא, ''Lūqā’; Ge'ez: ሉቃስ'') is one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of t ...
, National Gallery Prague
The National Gallery Prague ( cz, Národní galerie Praha, NGP), formerly the National Gallery in Prague (), is a state-owned art gallery in Prague, which manages the largest collection of art in the Czech Republic and presents masterpieces of Cze ...
File:Mistr Theodorik, Sv. Matouš Evangelista, Národní galerie v Praze.jpg, alt=Matthew the Apostle, National Gallery Prague, ''Saint Matthew the Evangelist'', National Gallery Prague
The National Gallery Prague ( cz, Národní galerie Praha, NGP), formerly the National Gallery in Prague (), is a state-owned art gallery in Prague, which manages the largest collection of art in the Czech Republic and presents masterpieces of Cze ...
File:Mistr Theodorik, Sv. Kateřina, Národní galerie v Praze.jpg, Catherine of Alexandria
Catherine of Alexandria (also spelled Katherine); grc-gre, ἡ Ἁγία Αἰκατερίνη ἡ Μεγαλομάρτυς ; ar, سانت كاترين; la, Catharina Alexandrina). is, according to tradition, a Christian saint and virgin, wh ...
, National Gallery Prague
The National Gallery Prague ( cz, Národní galerie Praha, NGP), formerly the National Gallery in Prague (), is a state-owned art gallery in Prague, which manages the largest collection of art in the Czech Republic and presents masterpieces of Cze ...
File:Mistr Theodorik, Sv. Karel Veliký, Národní galerie v Praze.jpg, Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...
, National Gallery Prague
The National Gallery Prague ( cz, Národní galerie Praha, NGP), formerly the National Gallery in Prague (), is a state-owned art gallery in Prague, which manages the largest collection of art in the Czech Republic and presents masterpieces of Cze ...
File:Meister Theoderich von Prag 007.jpg, Saint Louis IX of France
Louis IX (25 April 1214 – 25 August 1270), commonly known as Saint Louis or Louis the Saint, was King of France from 1226 to 1270, and the most illustrious of the Direct Capetians. He was crowned in Reims at the age of 12, following the ...
File:Meister Theoderich von Prag 002.jpg, alt=St Jerome, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Karlštejn, ''Saint Jerome'', Chapel of the Holy Cross, Karlštejn
Karlštejn Castle ( cs, hrad Karlštejn; german: Burg Karlstein) is a large Gothic castle founded in 1348 by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor-elect and King of Bohemia. The castle served as a place for safekeeping the Imperial Regalia as well as ...
File:2063619 CZR 280 002.jpeg, alt=St Simon, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Karlštejn, ''Saint Simon'', Chapel of the Holy Cross, Karlštejn
Karlštejn Castle ( cs, hrad Karlštejn; german: Burg Karlstein) is a large Gothic castle founded in 1348 by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor-elect and King of Bohemia. The castle served as a place for safekeeping the Imperial Regalia as well as ...
File:Meister Theoderich von Prag 024.jpg, Saint Maurice
Saint Maurice (also Moritz, Morris, or Mauritius; ) was an Egyptians, Egyptian military leader who headed the legendary Theban Legion of Roman Empire, Rome in the 3rd century, and is one of the favorite and most widely venerated saints of that Ma ...
, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Karlštejn
Karlštejn Castle ( cs, hrad Karlštejn; german: Burg Karlstein) is a large Gothic castle founded in 1348 by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor-elect and King of Bohemia. The castle served as a place for safekeeping the Imperial Regalia as well as ...
File:Mistr Theodorik - Sv. Juda Tadeáš.jpg, alt=Jude the Apostle, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Karlštejn, ''St Jude Thaddaeus'', Chapel of the Holy Cross, Karlštejn
Karlštejn Castle ( cs, hrad Karlštejn; german: Burg Karlstein) is a large Gothic castle founded in 1348 by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor-elect and King of Bohemia. The castle served as a place for safekeeping the Imperial Regalia as well as ...
File:Meister Theoderich von Prag 001.jpg, St Gregory
Pope Gregory I ( la, Gregorius I; – 12 March 604), commonly known as Saint Gregory the Great, was the bishop of Rome from 3 September 590 to his death. He is known for instigating the first recorded large-scale mission from Rome, the Gregori ...
, National Gallery Prague
The National Gallery Prague ( cz, Národní galerie Praha, NGP), formerly the National Gallery in Prague (), is a state-owned art gallery in Prague, which manages the largest collection of art in the Czech Republic and presents masterpieces of Cze ...
Mural Paintings in the Chapel of the Holy Cross at Karlštejn Castle
![Meister Theoderich von Prag 037](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Meister_Theoderich_von_Prag_037.jpg)
Mural paintings in the Chapel of the Holy Cross feature the apocalyptic prophesy - anticipation of the
Second coming of Christ
The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messi ...
on
Judgement Day
The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...
.
[Jiří Fajt, Jan Royt, in: Fajt J, 1998. p. 175, p. 178] The walls opposite each other on the vaults of the window niches of the chapel are ascribed to Master Theodoric and his workshop. The drapery of the figures is characterised by the soft modelling of light. With its muted colour tones, it has an affinity to the
grisaille
Grisaille ( or ; french: grisaille, lit=greyed , from ''gris'' 'grey') is a painting executed entirely in shades of grey or of another neutral greyish colour. It is particularly used in large decorative schemes in imitation of sculpture. Many g ...
painting method. The faces are closely related to several of Theodoric's panel paintings and repeatedly feature the characteristic motif of hair and whiskers coiled into individual strands. The painting is embellished with gilded relief decorations and the backgrounds of the scenes are filled out with gold plastic star shapes.
Jan Pasálek, Master Theodoric - Mural Paintings in the Holy Rood Chapel at Karlštejn Castle, Technologia Artis 2, 1992
/ref>
The apocalyptic God in a mandorla is surrounded by choirs of angels (the west niche)
The painting's colour scheme is adapted to the opposite wall depicting the Adoration of the Twenty-four Old Men (twelve prophets and twelve apostles, or 24 world rulers) ascribed to the Master of the Luxembourg Genealogy
Master of the Luxembourg Genealogy (or: Master of the Karlštejn Genealogy) was the court painter of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. He is referred to by his most important work, the murals with figures of the monarchs in the imperial palace at ...
. The monumental painting of God is executed in grisaille. In his hand, God is holding seven stars and a book above which there hang seven candleholders.
The Annunciation to the Virgin Mary (north-east niche, north vault)
With the high quality of its execution, the scene of the Annunciation has much in common with the most advanced techniques used in panels paintings by Theodoric's workshop (St Ambrose). Archangel Gabriel's wings are made from strips of tin sheet decorated with lazure painting and gilded plastic decoration. The space is deepened by polygonal Gothic architecture of a cathedral and by the Virgin Mary's diagonal reading stand.
The Adoration of the Three Kings (north-east niche, south vault)
The largest and best-preserved painting depicts the holy family in a hut with animals and three kings bearing gifts. The high artistic quality of the execution, the specific typology of the faces and the painting style attest to Master Theodoric as the artist of this work. The painting is characterised above all by the careful execution of the details (the figure of the Infant Christ, the strands of whiskers and hair, the woven wicker fence, the plastically executed royal crown and fine gifts). The figure of the third king, considered to be a cryptoportrait of Charles IV, is the very first such appearance of a monarch in European art.
Christ meeting Mary Magdalene and Martha / The anointing of Christ in the home of Simon (south-east niche, north vault)
The paintings are heavily damaged, however the chiaroscuro modelling of the clothes, typology of the faces and execution of the hands has closely related counterparts in the panel paintings of Master Theodoric.
The Raising of Lazarus / Noli me tangere (south-east niche, south vault)
The rich composition with its landscape scenery in the background is badly damaged, however numerous similar formal analogies rank it alongside Master Theodoric's mural paintings in the Chapel of the Holy Cross.
References
Notes
Sources (en.)
Books and chapters
* Barbara Drake Boehm, Jiří Fajt, ''Prague, The Crown of Bohemia, 1347-1437'', 384 pp., Metropolitan Museum of Art Series, 2005,
* Jiri Fajt (ed.), ''Magister Theodoricus, Court Painter to Emperor Charles IV : The Pictorial Decoration of the Shrines at Karlstejn Castle'', 549 pages, National Gallery Publications 1998,
* Hana Hlaváčková, The drawings on the walls of the Chapel of the Holy Cross in the Great tower, in: Jiri Fajt (ed.), ''Magister Theodoricus, Court Painter to Emperor Charles IV : The Pictorial Decoration of the Shrines at Karlstejn Castle'', 1998
* Hana Blochová, The medieval art techniques of the painted decoration of Karlštejn, in: Jiri Fajt (ed.), ''Magister Theodoricus, Court Painter to Emperor Charles IV : The Pictorial Decoration of the Shrines at Karlstejn Castle'', 1998, pp. 528–538
* Jaromír Homolka, Painters and workshops involved in the pictorial decoration of the Chapel of the Holy Cross besides Master theodoric, in: Jiri Fajt (ed.), ''Magister Theodoricus, Court Painter to Emperor Charles IV : The Pictorial Decoration of the Shrines at Karlstejn Castle'', 1998, pp. 278–295
* Gerhard Schmidt, Karlstein, in: K.M. Swoboda (ed.), Gothic in Böhmen, Munich 1969
* Vlasta Dvořáková, ''Master Theodoric'', Odeon Prague 1967
* Antonín Friedl, Magister Theodoricus. Das Problem seiner malerischen Form, Artia Praha 1956
Articles
* Mojmír Hamsík, Master Theodoric's Painting Technique ant its Origin, Technologia Artis 2, 199
on line
* Vratislav Nejedlý, The Fate of the Chapel of the Holy Rood at Karlštejn Castle in the Light of Written Sources, Technologia Artis 2, 199
* Zora Grohmannová, Master Theodoric's Paintings on Wood and their Restoration by the National Gallery, Bulletin of the National gallery 1, 1991
* Zora Grohmannová, Master Theodoric - The Crucifixion, Technologia Artis 2, 199
* Radana Hamsíková, Master Theodoric - St Claire, Technologia Artis 2, 199
* Mojmír Hamsík, Pastiglia - Origin and Their Technical History, Technologia Artis 2, 199
* Věra Frömlová, Preliminary Findings on the Historical Repairs to the Pictures, Technologia Artis 2, 199
* Jindřich Tomek, Dorothea Pechová, Analysis of the Wall Paintings in the Holy Rood Chapel at Karlštejn Castle, Technologia Artis 2, 199
* Jiří Třeštík, Figural Drawings in the Holy Rood Chapel, found under the panel Paintings, and New Discoveries, Technologia Artis 2, 199
* Mojmír Hamsík, Jindřich Tomek, Technical Parallels between the 14. Century Mural and Panel paintings, Technologia Artis 2, 199
* Hana Kohlová, Further Results of the Investigation on Theodoric's Paintings, Technologia Artis 2, 199
* Radana Hamsíková, Master Theodoric's Preparatory Drawings, Technologia Artis 2, 199
* Radana Hamsíková, Theodoric's Workshop Practice: Composition and Form Patterns, Technologia Artis 3, 199
* Hana Blochová, Relief Decoration in Czech Painting of the 14th Century, Technologia Artis 3, 199
Other (cs.)
* Jiří Fajt (ed.), Magister Theodoricus, dvorní malíř císaře Karla IV., 621 s., Národní galerie v Praze 1997,
* Jaromír Homolka, Malíři a dílny pracující na výzdobě kaple sv. Kříže vedle Mistra Theodorika, s. 350–368, in: Jiří Fajt (ed.), Magister Theodoricus, dvorní malíř císaře Karla IV., Národní galerie v Praze 1997
* Hana Hlaváčková, Kresby na stěnách v kapli sv. Kříže ve Velké věži, s. 270–279, in: Jiří Fajt (ed.), Magister Theodoricus, dvorní malíř císaře Karla IV., Národní galerie v Praze 1997
* Jiří Fajt, Hana Hlaváčková, Jaromír Homolka, Jan Royt, Katalog kreseb na omítce a nástěnných maleb v kapli sv. Kříže, s. 547–577, in: Jiří Fajt (ed.), Magister Theodoricus, dvorní malíř císaře Karla IV., Národní galerie v Praze 1997
* Mojmír Hamsík, Mistr Theodorik. Technologie malby a její historické souvislosti, s. 578–579, in: Jiří Fajt (ed.), Magister Theodoricus, dvorní malíř císaře Karla IV., Národní galerie v Praze 1997
* Hana Blochová, Výtvarné technologie a výzdoba kaple sv. Kříže, s. 600–610, in: Jiří Fajt (ed.), Magister Theodoricus, dvorní malíř císaře Karla IV., Národní galerie v Praze 1997
* Pujmanová Olga, Umění doby Karla IV. a jeho vztahy k Neapoli, s. 217–240, in: Mezinárodní vědecká konference: Doba Karla IV. v dějinách národů ČSSR, Univerzita Karlova, Praha 1982
* Karel Stejskal, Umění na dvoře Karla IV., Artia Praha 1978
* Albert Kutal, České gotické umění, Obelisk Praha 1972
* Vlasta Dvořáková et al. ''Mistr Theodorik'', SNKLU Praha 1967
* Vlasta Dvořáková, Dobroslava Menclová, Karlštejn, Státní nakladatelství krásné literatury a umění, Praha 1965
External links
* ttps://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100139414 Oxford Reference: Master Theodoric
Karlštejn Castle
{{DEFAULTSORT:Theodoric
Czech male painters
Gothic painters
14th-century painters
Court painters
Year of birth unknown
Year of death uncertain
Year of birth uncertain
1380 deaths