Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia (1316-1378), was one of the most astute and cultivated monarchs of his time, and during his reign Prague became a major cultural centre and royal power base. In an age when royalportraits were a rarity, he showed an early understanding of their ability to project the power, wealth and cultural sophistication of the court, and a number of royal portraits were commissioned within the decorative schemes of the buildings, altarpieces, manuscripts and reliquaries with which he endowed Prague and the royal castles.
This is the first study in English to look at the phenomenon of Charles's early use of the arts to consolidate hispower. It focuses particularly on some thirty portraits of Charles IV, to demonstrate how and why the court harnessed the visual arts to legitimise, glorify and sacralise the great medieval ruler. By placing each portrait in its historical context, the author gives a fascinating insight into the art of political propaganda in an important European court of the middle ages.
Dr I.J.M. ROSARIO is currently honorary Senior Fellow of the School of Fine Arts, Classical Studies and Archaeology, University of Melbourne.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
A richly documented case study. * ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *
Sprache
Verlagsort
Verlagsgruppe
Zielgruppe
Produkt-Hinweis
Illustrationen
35 farbige Abbildungen, 11 s/w Abbildungen, 6 Zeichnungen
35 colour. 11 b/w. 6 line.
Maße
Höhe: 312 mm
Breite: 237 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-85115-787-0 (9780851157870)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia -the political and cultural context - Charles IV's place in history and his personality, Charles IV's role as patron of the arts in Bohemia, the images of Charles IV; Karlstejn Castle - Charles IV's glorification of the imperial ideal; images proclaiming imperial triumph and legitimacy - divine confirmation of Charles IV as Holy Roman Emperor, approbation by earthly rulers of Charles IV as Holy Roman Emperor; the Oratory Supraporta double portrait - in the tradition of Constantine the Great; the Bohemian inheritance - in the image of St Wenceslas; images of validation and victory - Charles IV and St Vitus Cathedral, St Wenceslas Chapel as the political and spiritual heart of Bohemia, the choir of St Vitus - Luxembourg triumph on the Bohemian throne; Charles IV as a patron of learning - the seal of the Prague "studium generale"; the celebration of Charles IV's achievements as King of Bohemia on the royal route of Bohemian kings; Charles IV as the legitimate monarch - Charles IV - in the image of the divine, "Rex et sacerdos" - Charles IV as a priestly monarch, Charles as the just ruler; images reflecting Charles IV's relationship with the church -the pope and the emperor - a precarious equilibrium, the bishops and the king - symbiosis of church and state; a son named Wenceslas - images proclaiming dynastic continuity.
