Tag Archives: Slav Epic

Zbiroh Chateau Diary

by

0

I was very excited to visit Zbiroh Chateau because, even though it had been open to the public since 2005, I was visiting for the first time. It wasn’t far from Prague, either. I knew that the chateau served as a hotel, but I hadn’t realized that there also were tours of the representative spaces. After a steep incline, I approached the two lavish statues of lions that guarded the entrance. The entrance gate seeped with grandeur. Both features hailed from a 19th century renovation.

Czech King Přemysl Otakar II, photo from Turistický denník

I learned about the fascinating history of Zbiroh on the tour. It was built before some time before 1230. In the late 13th century, Czech King Přemysl Otakar II conquered Zbiroh. The Přemysl dynasty of Czech rulers was legendary in the Czech lands. Přemysl Otakar II built many towns, among other accomplishments.

Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, photo from Medieval Histories

In the 1330s, the future Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV gained control of the property. Charles IV would become perhaps the most prominent figure in Czech history. who had controlled the castle after he returned from fighting in France. Charles IV established towns, churches and castles, for instance. He created Prague’s New Town district, what is now called the Charles Bridge and the first university in Prague. He also had Prague’s Saint Vitus’ Cathedral built.

Emperor Sigismund, photo from Quora

During the 14th century, Petr of Rosenberg owned the castle, and it would stay in his family for about 100 years. Emperor Sigismund, the son of Emperor Charles IV, bought the castle from the Rosenbergs during the 15th century. Other famous royal dynasties would take over the chateau from the time of the Hussite wars in the 15th century – first the Kolowrats, then the Lobkowiczes, then the Sternbergs. During the Hussite wars of the 15th century, Zbiroh was not damaged, a fate that did not behold many other Czech monuments.

Emperor Rudolf II, photo from Kalendar.beda.cz

Emperor Rudolf II as Vertumnus, painted by Arcimboldo, photo from Heureka.cz

At the end of the 16th century, Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II acquired Zbiroh, and he would have a momentous effect on the castle’s history. Emperor Rudolf II had made Prague the center of the Habsburg monarchy. A lover of art, Rudolf II bought many paintings, and, thanks to him, Prague flourish as a cultural center. He made many changes to the Gothic castle, transforming it into a Renaissance chateau. He liked to hunt on the property.

However, this golden age would come to an end. After the Battle of White Mountain, which the Catholics won against the Protestants in November of 1620, the castle was turned into a prison for the defeated soldiers. During the Thirty Years’ War, Swedish troops damaged and pillaged the chateau Until the middle of the 19th century, the chateau was dilapidated.

Baron Henry Bethel Strousberg and family, photo from Epochplus.cz

That’s when European entrepreneur Baron Henry Bethel Strousberg came along. He made a name for himself throughout Europe as the owner of iron and coal mines, factories and property, among other things. After he purchased the chateau, he made it a representative seat and modernized it. He envisioned making Zbiroh an industrial center focusing on extracting iron ore and wood coal. However, the ore had phosphorous in it, and the project, thankfully, had to be abandoned. Baron Strousberg wound up going bankrupt. He fled to Russia, where he was incarcerated for two years. Then Strousberg went back to Berlin. His family fled to London. The once influential and wealthy Strousberg called an attic flat owned by his former cook home. He died there, penniless.

The lavish arch built during Strousberg’s tenure at Zbiroh

The next owner of the chateau was Duke Joseph Coloredo-Mansfeld. He rented it to legendary Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha. While residing at Zbiroh, Mucha created some of his most important paintings, such as the 20 Slav Epic depictions that celebrate Slav identity.

View from the terrace at Zbiroh

The Mansfelds hung onto the chateau until the Nazis came and turned the place into a SS headquarters. At the end of the war, the Nazis hid their secret documents in the bottom of the chateau’s well – at 163 meters it was the deepest in Europe. Then they covered it with a metal plate at the 150-meter mark so that their documents would be difficult to retrieve.

View of Zbiroh from postcard

The Czechoslovak army took control after the war, in 1945. Zbiroh was taken off the map as a top-secret facility was placed there. Czechoslovakia gathered information about NATO armies. The soldiers did not take care of the chateau. They even used the unique well as an ashtray. The army didn’t leave until 2004, when a private company bought the chateau and Zbiroh was put back on the map. It was open to the public in 2005. Zbiroh’s history is also connected to the Teutonic Knights as the current owner is a member.

The tour was fascinating. In the first room I liked the collection of African masks on the wall. Remnants of some of the documents the Nazis had tried to destroy in the well were on display in another space. My favorite artifacts were the Madonna statues dotting the representative rooms, some hailing as far back as the Romanesque and Gothic eras. A 650-year old Madonna was the most valuable artifact in the chateau. The Christ child appeared jovial and curious while the Virgin Mary looked like a proud mother. In a Late Gothic Virgin Mary sculpture from the 15th century, the Christ Child was smiling, about to break out in laughter. The Virgin Mary donned an elegant, simple crown. An ivory statue of Saint Nickolas also caught my attention. It hailed from the 14th century.

I saw a masterfully carved 13th century Romanesque chest, too. Chamber tiles from the 15th century showed Saint George battling the dragon. I saw many copies of works by Leonardo DaVinci, including the Mona Lisa, a self-portrait of the painter and a portrait of Mary Magdalene. Even though they were reproductions, these paintings were very impressive. A life-size carving of Saint Vitus from the 18th century was another delight.

On the lavish dining room table gilded silverware hailed from the era of Empress Maria Theresa. The napkins were shaped in the form of a lily, a royal symbol. I also saw a detailed map of Bohemia from 1702. The Empire furnishings bought in the mid-19th century were ravishing, too.

Alphonse Mucha created posters for actress Sarah Bernhardt and achieved worldwide acclaim. Photo taken at Mucha exhibition in Wallenstein Riding Stables, 2022.

Mucha’s Rooms were another highlight. I had been a fan of Mucha’s Art Nouveau works for a long time. I had visited the Mucha Museum in Prague and only months before this visit, I had seen the comprehensive Mucha exhibition in the Wallenstein Riding Stables in Prague. In these spaces, I saw a portrait of Mucha featuring Masonic symbols because he had been a Mason. Also, Masonic medals owned by Mucha were on display. I was entranced by Mucha’s historical painting “Master John of Rokycany at the Council of Basel” from 1933. On one wall, Mucha’s students had painted female figures in their teacher’s style.

From Mucha’s Slav Epic paintings, photo taken at Mucha exhibition in Wallenstein Riding Stables, 2022.

The ballroom was the most beautiful space. This was once Mucha’s studio while the balcony had served as a dark room for his photographs. The large room was built in the second half of the 19th century. It featured a skylight with glazed glass and two elegant crystal chandeliers. I spotted Zbiroh Chateau behind what looked like blue mist in a painting by Mucha. The yellow, blue and red decorative wall painting enthralled me as well.

Another masterpiece by Alphonse Mucha, photo taken at Mucha exhibition at Wallenstein Riding Stables, Prague, 2022

Then we walked down a long hallway with Renaissance, Gothic and Baroque tapestries and armors of knights from various eras. As the tour ended, I was very glad I had finally discovered this gem. The history of the chateau was riveting, and the artifacts in the representative spaces were amazing.

It was time to get something to eat. In the parking lot, I noticed the beech trees that surrounded the chateau and listened to the sound of silence. It was so quiet and tranquil, such a relief from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Tracy A. Burns is a writer, editor and proofreader in Prague.

Mucha: The Family Collection Exhibition Diary

by

0

I have been a fan of Alphonse Mucha’s Art Nouveau works ever since I came to Prague in the 1990s. While he is best known for his exhilarating posters of actress Sarah Bernhardt, Mucha was a very versatile artist – as is evidenced in this comprehensive exhibition of creations owned by his descendants. The first extensive showing of his works in 30 years is housed at Prague’s Waldstein Palace. The exhibition highlights not only the advertising posters but also his drawings, paintings, sculptures, photos and jewelry, for instance. The family displays some originals to the public for the first time.  

Family portraits evoking Mucha’s childhood add an intimate feel to the exhibition. Born in Ivančice, Moravia, Mucha called home a building that also included the town jail. The Czech lands were under Austrian rule when Mucha grew up. They were part of the Habsburg Empire in which German was the official language. Yet, during that era, the Czech National Revival took place, when Czech nationalists promoted Czech culture and the Czech language.

At the end of 1894, Mucha became a star overnight when he designed a poster for Bernhardt’s production of Gismonda. The following year he created posters that decorated calendars, postcards and menus as well as theatre programs. His work would find enthusiastic audiences in Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Munich, London, New York and other cities during subsequent years.

I loved how, in his advertising posters, Mucha utilized folk features not only found in Czech art but also in Byzantine, Islamic, Japanese, Gothic, Judaic, Celtic and Rococo works. Much of this genre focuses on beautiful, young women with an optimistic and cheerful flair. They are wearing flowing robes in pastel colors. I loved the touches of floral and plant ornamentation plus arabesques and naturalistic elements, too.

The exhibition boasted family portraits and photos, such as those of his friends Paul Gaugin and Auguste Rodin. Gaugin even was Mucha’s housemate for a while. During the Paris Exposition Universalle of 1900, Mucha represented Austria-Hungary as the show focused on the accomplishments of the past century. I had not known that in 1899 Mucha had designed a jewelry collection that was featured at this major show. One of the jewelry pieces on display at the exhibition features a snake-shaped broach that Bernhardt wore during her portrayal as Medusa. I also was captivated by Mucha’s decorations for a German theatre in the USA. He would wind up making three trips to the United States, hailed by The New York Daily News as “the world’s greatest decorative artist.”

Works in the exhibition illustrated how mysticism had influenced him. His philosophy is also apparent in his creations. For example, he believed in beauty, truth and love to guide him on the spiritual path. For a monument he created a triptych called The Age of Reason, the Age of Wisdom and the Age of Love, fusing these three characteristics into one piece of art. Unfortunately, Mucha didn’t get the chance to finish it.

Perhaps what always captivates me the most about Mucha’s art is his emphasis on Slav identity. Indeed, his phenomenal Slav Epic paintings feature the heroic tales of the Slavs in 20 historical, symbolic canvases. Several reproductions of these works at the exhibition reinforced Mucha’s identity as a Czech and Slav patriot.

I saw panels devoted to Mucha’s decorations in the Municipal House, for which he designed numerous pieces – three wall panels, a ceiling painting depicting prominent Czech personalities, eight pendentives and furnishings. I remember seeing these for myself on tours of the Art Nouveau Municipal House, something I recommend to every Prague visitor. It is notable that, while Mucha’s works often were rooted in Slav identity in the past, he also looked to the future for a prosperous Czech nation.

I was enamored by the reproductions of his stained-glass window designs. The originals decorate the interior of Saint Vitus’ Cathedral at Prague Castle. In 1931 he portrayed Saint Wenceslas, the nation’s patron saint, as a child with his grandmother Saint Ludmila in a central panel along with other panels featuring the lives and work of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Seeing examples of his colorful and vibrant stained glass renditions close-up was for me one of the highlights of this exhibition.

Mucha’s life was cut short by the arrival of the Nazis in Prague, where they set up the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia during March of 1939. The 79-year-old Mucha, riddled with health problems, was targeted by the Gestapo. Mucha was a Freemason, Judeophile and a promoter of democratic Czechoslovakia. He was one of the first to be interrogated by the Nazis. Mucha was stricken with pneumonia due to the strain from grueling interrogations and died in Prague 10 days short of his 79th birthday on July 14th, 1939. He is now buried in Prague’s Vyšehrad Cemetery along with other prominent Czechs.

This exhibition takes museumgoers on a unique and unforgettable journey from his childhood roots in Moravia to his time as an outsider in Paris to his experiences in the democratic Czechoslovakia until his untimely death. It stresses his identity as a Moravian, as a Czech, as a Slav and as a European. It shows his accomplishments in the art scene by displaying an eclectic collection of his creations that profoundly punctuated the artistic world.

Tracy A. Burns is a writer, proofreader and editor in Prague.