DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21832#0061
Plaster Casts of the Works of Art
The plaster casts of the sculptures of St Vitus' Cathedral in Prague.
Abstract
The first collection of plaster casts in Bohemia was the collection of antique sculp-
tures at Charles University in Prague. In the 18th century it was owned by Frantiśek,
Count Nostitz. Later on it was in the possession of the Society of Patriotic Friends
of the Arts (the predecessor of the present National Gallery in Prague) and then
it became the property of the University in Prague. It reached its climax under Wil-
helm Klein, who was Professor of Archaeology at the German University in Prague
from 1885. At present, it is exhibited in Hostinne and Litomyśl.
The next collection of plaster casts in chronological order was that of the National
Museum in Prague, at present open to the public as part of the Museum's Lapidarium
in the Stromovka Park in Prague-Holesovice. The demand for establishing the Lapi-
darium of the National Museum was submitted by Frantiśek Palacky in 1840. In 1846,
this set was moved to the Nosticz Palace in Na pfikope street in Prague - including
"five most interesting" sandstone portrait busts from the internal triforium of St Vitus'
Cathedral. Since 1862, the National Museum has owned the patinated plaster casts of all
21 busts in this set. The oldest plaster casts include busts of Charles iv, Elisabeth of Bohe-
mia (Eliśka Pfemyslovna), John of Bohemia (Jan Lucembursky), and Wenceslas iv.
In art-historical terms, the most interesting cast seems to be the bust of John of Bohe-
mia, which has had its damaged nose repaired by an unknown artist. After a lapse
of several generations, the result of the refinement cannot be considered a success.
Fortunately, our ancestors in the first half of the 19th century were of the same opinion
and did not allow the original to be repaired.
In 1863, the Union for the Completion of St Vitus' Cathedral at Prague Castle
expressed their interest in making plaster casts of important artworks in Prague
Cathedral for their own "museum". At first they made a new series of triforium busts.
From among the later works, it is necessary to mention the cast of the sculpture
of St Wenceslas (above the high altar of St Wenceslas' Chapel in St Vitus' Cathedral;
the work of Peter Parier from the period 1372 -1373) for the Czechoslovak exhibition
in Barcelona in 1929. It was made by Karel Novak, a sculptor, and Jan Pisa, a painter,
hi addition, in 1935 -1938, Karel Novak made a set of 283 reduced-scale casts of the
sculpture of St Wenceslas for the Union for commercial sale. Another cast of the sculp-
ture of St Wenceslas, which was also colourised, was made in 1942 by the sculpture
workshop of the Regional Gallery of Bohemia and Moravia to protect them against
the threat of bombing - it temporarily replaced the original in the Chapel of St Vitus.
This plaster cast is owned by the National Gallery.
The collection of plaster casts provided by the Union for the Completion of St Vitus'
Cathedral constitutes a part of the art collections of Prague Castle to date. It contains
two types of casts:
1. the casts of drafts of newly produced details that were to replace the unpreserved
originals of the medieval part of the Cathedral or of those that were to decorate
60
The plaster casts of the sculptures of St Vitus' Cathedral in Prague.
Abstract
The first collection of plaster casts in Bohemia was the collection of antique sculp-
tures at Charles University in Prague. In the 18th century it was owned by Frantiśek,
Count Nostitz. Later on it was in the possession of the Society of Patriotic Friends
of the Arts (the predecessor of the present National Gallery in Prague) and then
it became the property of the University in Prague. It reached its climax under Wil-
helm Klein, who was Professor of Archaeology at the German University in Prague
from 1885. At present, it is exhibited in Hostinne and Litomyśl.
The next collection of plaster casts in chronological order was that of the National
Museum in Prague, at present open to the public as part of the Museum's Lapidarium
in the Stromovka Park in Prague-Holesovice. The demand for establishing the Lapi-
darium of the National Museum was submitted by Frantiśek Palacky in 1840. In 1846,
this set was moved to the Nosticz Palace in Na pfikope street in Prague - including
"five most interesting" sandstone portrait busts from the internal triforium of St Vitus'
Cathedral. Since 1862, the National Museum has owned the patinated plaster casts of all
21 busts in this set. The oldest plaster casts include busts of Charles iv, Elisabeth of Bohe-
mia (Eliśka Pfemyslovna), John of Bohemia (Jan Lucembursky), and Wenceslas iv.
In art-historical terms, the most interesting cast seems to be the bust of John of Bohe-
mia, which has had its damaged nose repaired by an unknown artist. After a lapse
of several generations, the result of the refinement cannot be considered a success.
Fortunately, our ancestors in the first half of the 19th century were of the same opinion
and did not allow the original to be repaired.
In 1863, the Union for the Completion of St Vitus' Cathedral at Prague Castle
expressed their interest in making plaster casts of important artworks in Prague
Cathedral for their own "museum". At first they made a new series of triforium busts.
From among the later works, it is necessary to mention the cast of the sculpture
of St Wenceslas (above the high altar of St Wenceslas' Chapel in St Vitus' Cathedral;
the work of Peter Parier from the period 1372 -1373) for the Czechoslovak exhibition
in Barcelona in 1929. It was made by Karel Novak, a sculptor, and Jan Pisa, a painter,
hi addition, in 1935 -1938, Karel Novak made a set of 283 reduced-scale casts of the
sculpture of St Wenceslas for the Union for commercial sale. Another cast of the sculp-
ture of St Wenceslas, which was also colourised, was made in 1942 by the sculpture
workshop of the Regional Gallery of Bohemia and Moravia to protect them against
the threat of bombing - it temporarily replaced the original in the Chapel of St Vitus.
This plaster cast is owned by the National Gallery.
The collection of plaster casts provided by the Union for the Completion of St Vitus'
Cathedral constitutes a part of the art collections of Prague Castle to date. It contains
two types of casts:
1. the casts of drafts of newly produced details that were to replace the unpreserved
originals of the medieval part of the Cathedral or of those that were to decorate
60