DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21832#0062
Ivo Hlobil, Petr Chotebor • Odlitky Skulptur z katedräly sv. Vita v Praze
the new part of the building, erected after 1873. These drafts were moulded from
clay, in many cases on a reduced scale (e.g. the gargoyles on the scale of 1:4),
and then they were cast in plaster and probably submitted for final approval.
Eventually they also served as models for the carvers in stonemasons' workshop
who carved the details into sandstone;
2. the castings of distinguished details of medieval architectural or sculptural decora-
tion that were accessible in the period during which repair works were carried out
on the old part of the Cathedral. The oldest pieces of work date back to the period
when the stonemasons' workshop was led by the architect Josef Mocker (1872-1899).
As Mocker repaired a number of other medieval buildings, the casts of other details
have also been found in St Vitus stonemasons' workshop. For example, it was possible
to detect the casts of details of the bay window of the Carolinum Chapel in Prague.
One of the masks of this bay window served as a sample for a console in the interior
of the highest floor of the south-west tower of Mocker's neo-gothic frontage of St Vitus'
Cathedral. This is not the only isolated case in which the sculptural details on the new
part of the Cathedral originated as exact or free copies of the medieval ones. Another
two of this set of figural consoles were made according to the originals (or casts
of them) from St Wenceslas' Chapel in St Vitus' Cathedral. More examples can be
listed. In 1898, another cast was made (one of only a few with exact dating) according
to the console with a Hon and cubs on the external triforium of the choir and used
as a model for a console of the external triforium in the new part of the Cathedral.
A cast of the original relief of a monster above the passage in a pillar of the supporting
system was used as a model for the other consoles. In another case, the old casting
used as a model for a new console documents the former state of the original mask
from the external triforium of the choir, which at present has been damaged by the
corrosion of the sandstone, unless the casting had been restored and the non-preserved
parts renovated. We can suppose that at the time of J. Mocker, the castings were made
mostly as models for newly created sculptures and details.
A large number of casts of details were made under the direction of the architect
Kamil Hilbert, who managed the construction workshop in the period 1899 -1933.
The selection of sculptures and details at least corresponds with those parts of the
building that were restored in that period: the Chapel of St Wenceslas, the south
narthex (Golden Gate) and the Great South Tower. Photos of the casts of two corner
consoles in the form of large monsters from the southern facade of the tower may
be found in the book about the Cathedral from 1906. Only three casts were made
of the large mask consoles on the supporting pillars of the choir on which the flying
buttresses rest. Two of them are also pictured in the above-mentioned book from
1906. The originals of these consoles are covered with traceries and are accessible only
during restoration works. In the period of K. Hilbert, the production of the casts was
probably inspired by a systematic interest in documentation. The casts of sculptures
from the Great Tower were even made in two versions; it was probably expected
that they would be exhibited.
61
the new part of the building, erected after 1873. These drafts were moulded from
clay, in many cases on a reduced scale (e.g. the gargoyles on the scale of 1:4),
and then they were cast in plaster and probably submitted for final approval.
Eventually they also served as models for the carvers in stonemasons' workshop
who carved the details into sandstone;
2. the castings of distinguished details of medieval architectural or sculptural decora-
tion that were accessible in the period during which repair works were carried out
on the old part of the Cathedral. The oldest pieces of work date back to the period
when the stonemasons' workshop was led by the architect Josef Mocker (1872-1899).
As Mocker repaired a number of other medieval buildings, the casts of other details
have also been found in St Vitus stonemasons' workshop. For example, it was possible
to detect the casts of details of the bay window of the Carolinum Chapel in Prague.
One of the masks of this bay window served as a sample for a console in the interior
of the highest floor of the south-west tower of Mocker's neo-gothic frontage of St Vitus'
Cathedral. This is not the only isolated case in which the sculptural details on the new
part of the Cathedral originated as exact or free copies of the medieval ones. Another
two of this set of figural consoles were made according to the originals (or casts
of them) from St Wenceslas' Chapel in St Vitus' Cathedral. More examples can be
listed. In 1898, another cast was made (one of only a few with exact dating) according
to the console with a Hon and cubs on the external triforium of the choir and used
as a model for a console of the external triforium in the new part of the Cathedral.
A cast of the original relief of a monster above the passage in a pillar of the supporting
system was used as a model for the other consoles. In another case, the old casting
used as a model for a new console documents the former state of the original mask
from the external triforium of the choir, which at present has been damaged by the
corrosion of the sandstone, unless the casting had been restored and the non-preserved
parts renovated. We can suppose that at the time of J. Mocker, the castings were made
mostly as models for newly created sculptures and details.
A large number of casts of details were made under the direction of the architect
Kamil Hilbert, who managed the construction workshop in the period 1899 -1933.
The selection of sculptures and details at least corresponds with those parts of the
building that were restored in that period: the Chapel of St Wenceslas, the south
narthex (Golden Gate) and the Great South Tower. Photos of the casts of two corner
consoles in the form of large monsters from the southern facade of the tower may
be found in the book about the Cathedral from 1906. Only three casts were made
of the large mask consoles on the supporting pillars of the choir on which the flying
buttresses rest. Two of them are also pictured in the above-mentioned book from
1906. The originals of these consoles are covered with traceries and are accessible only
during restoration works. In the period of K. Hilbert, the production of the casts was
probably inspired by a systematic interest in documentation. The casts of sculptures
from the Great Tower were even made in two versions; it was probably expected
that they would be exhibited.
61