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DOI Artikel:Germ, Tine: A curious collection of curious deaths in Theatrum mortis humanae tripartitum by Johann Weichard Valvasor: context, sources, invention
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52446#0061
2Jníaf^ící>lí^< îobtë < föatintig* iyy
Repente flavit in eos, & atuerunt.
Efiii. cap. 40.
Samt fo folřerfíc mir <wrtM>t fyit/fttmU |i« wrhm
Efai. cap. 40.
V2 PE-
Fig. 5: fohann Koch, The Dragon, J. W'. Valvasor, Theatrum mortis
humanae tripartitum, 1682,p. 159.
been hiding is not shown. In accord with tradition,
the dragon is depicted as a huge, lizard-like monster
with webbed wings, in the moment of his attack on
one of the soldiers (Figs. 5 and 6).
In the corresponding illustration in the Distorical
Chronick (III, 204), Merian décidés to combine the
motif of the dragon attacking the soldiers with the
manoeuvre of the army forcefully falling upon the
beast. His decision is reasonable within the con-
text of the story which Gottfried recounts much
more precisely than Valvasor. He explains that the
attacked soldiers belonged to the Roman troops
under the command of Consul Atilius Regulus. His
army clashed with an enormous beast and shot at
it even from catapults. By combining the two épi-
sodes Merian intensifies suspense and adds a rieh
Fig. 6: Mathäus Merian the Eider, 'Roman army fights the dragon, J. L.
Gottfried, Historische Chronica, 1674, p. 204.
scenographical context to the clash. Even though the
two approaches and their final results differ greatly,
it is interesting that Koch’s dragon fairly resembles
Merian’s both in its appearance and posture. In view
of the fact that Valvasor kept a copy of Gottfried’s
chronicle with Merian’s engravings in his library, a
question arises: Could it be possible that Koch was
not familiär with Merian’s illustrations? Or did he
deliberately décidé on simpler compositions, better
suited to the Theatrum? Judging from the character
of Koch’s work it seems more likely that he inten-
tionally decided on a different approach and created
illustrations on the likeness to emblems, adapted to
a new fonction and context.
However, this does not exclude the fact that, in
preparing drawings for copperplate engravings for
the Theatrum, Koch occasionally modelled them on
certain preceding examples, but such cases are rare.
It should be pointed out that, as a rule, the artist
only adopted the basic composition, or just part
of it, and applied it to a new iconographie context.
The most instructive case seems to be the Death of
Jordanus ÇTheatrum mortis, 177), who was forced to sit
on a heated throne and was crowned with a red-hot
iron crown.39 (Fig. 7) Koch’s compositional scheme
and the modelling of figures obviously imitate the
39 The Sicilian nobleman Jordanus, a lover of Empress Con-
stance of Sicily, wife of Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor,
tried to rise to power with the help of his mistress. His plans
were uncovered in time and his punishment was intended to
59
Repente flavit in eos, & atuerunt.
Efiii. cap. 40.
Samt fo folřerfíc mir <wrtM>t fyit/fttmU |i« wrhm
Efai. cap. 40.
V2 PE-
Fig. 5: fohann Koch, The Dragon, J. W'. Valvasor, Theatrum mortis
humanae tripartitum, 1682,p. 159.
been hiding is not shown. In accord with tradition,
the dragon is depicted as a huge, lizard-like monster
with webbed wings, in the moment of his attack on
one of the soldiers (Figs. 5 and 6).
In the corresponding illustration in the Distorical
Chronick (III, 204), Merian décidés to combine the
motif of the dragon attacking the soldiers with the
manoeuvre of the army forcefully falling upon the
beast. His decision is reasonable within the con-
text of the story which Gottfried recounts much
more precisely than Valvasor. He explains that the
attacked soldiers belonged to the Roman troops
under the command of Consul Atilius Regulus. His
army clashed with an enormous beast and shot at
it even from catapults. By combining the two épi-
sodes Merian intensifies suspense and adds a rieh
Fig. 6: Mathäus Merian the Eider, 'Roman army fights the dragon, J. L.
Gottfried, Historische Chronica, 1674, p. 204.
scenographical context to the clash. Even though the
two approaches and their final results differ greatly,
it is interesting that Koch’s dragon fairly resembles
Merian’s both in its appearance and posture. In view
of the fact that Valvasor kept a copy of Gottfried’s
chronicle with Merian’s engravings in his library, a
question arises: Could it be possible that Koch was
not familiär with Merian’s illustrations? Or did he
deliberately décidé on simpler compositions, better
suited to the Theatrum? Judging from the character
of Koch’s work it seems more likely that he inten-
tionally decided on a different approach and created
illustrations on the likeness to emblems, adapted to
a new fonction and context.
However, this does not exclude the fact that, in
preparing drawings for copperplate engravings for
the Theatrum, Koch occasionally modelled them on
certain preceding examples, but such cases are rare.
It should be pointed out that, as a rule, the artist
only adopted the basic composition, or just part
of it, and applied it to a new iconographie context.
The most instructive case seems to be the Death of
Jordanus ÇTheatrum mortis, 177), who was forced to sit
on a heated throne and was crowned with a red-hot
iron crown.39 (Fig. 7) Koch’s compositional scheme
and the modelling of figures obviously imitate the
39 The Sicilian nobleman Jordanus, a lover of Empress Con-
stance of Sicily, wife of Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor,
tried to rise to power with the help of his mistress. His plans
were uncovered in time and his punishment was intended to
59