- Institute of Historical Sciences
Faculty of Philosophy and Science
Silesian University in Opava
Masarykova 37, 746 01 Opava
Czech Republic - +420 553 684 475
- Modern History, French Revolution and Napoleon, Cultural History, History of Art, Visual Arts, History and Memory, and 9 moreIconography, Cultural Heritage, Monuments, Collecting and Collections, Napoleonic Wars, Napoleonic Europe, Napoleonic History, 18th & 19th Centuries, and 19th Century (History)edit
- PhDr. Marian Hochel, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at the Institute of Historical Sciences of the Silesian Universi... morePhDr. Marian Hochel, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at the Institute of Historical Sciences of the Silesian University in Opava and an external researcher at the National Heritage Institute in the Czech Republic. He is a member of the International Napoleonic Society (Canada). A graduate of the Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovak Republic) in History and Aesthetics, he received his Ph.D. in Modern History at the Masaryk University in Brno (Czech Republic) and attended the Ecole Normale Supérieure Lettres et Sciences Humaines in Lyon (France). In 2013 and 2014 he attended two research stays at the Warburg Institute in London (UK). From 2011 to 2017 he was the director of Duchcov (Dux) Château, in 2022 the alumnus of The Attingham Trust for the Study of Historic Houses and Collections (Monument Trust Scholar / Sansovino Scholar, UK). He specializes in the history of Revolutionary and Napoleonic Era especially with a view to cultural history, historical memory, cultural heritage and iconography of art.
Complete bibliography and professional activities:
uhv.fpf.slu.cz/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Marian-Hochel-odborne-aktivity-a-bibliografie-2024.pdfedit
At the time of the Consulate and the First Empire in France, the Star of Napoleon stood out in the sky of artistic imagination. The image of the new sovereign was synonymous with light, fortune and success. In 1814–1815, his military... more
At the time of the Consulate and the First Empire in France, the Star of Napoleon stood out in the sky of artistic imagination. The image of the new sovereign was synonymous with light, fortune and success. In 1814–1815, his military defeats and the end of protracted wars created the conditions for the emergence of the constellation of "Victors over Napoleon", which captured the imagination of artists and European Elite. One of those who wanted to remember Napoleon (1769–1821) was the Austrian foreign minister, Klemens Wenzel Lothar von Metternich-Winneburg (1773–1859). Over the course of his life, he amassed valuable art collections and memorabilia with ties to famous events and personalities. In addition to the French Emperor himself, they included the French Foreign Minister Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754–1838) and the Secretary of the Congress of Vienna, Friedrich von Gentz (1764–1832). The artefacts preserved by the National Heritage Institute testify not only to the realities and tastes of their time, but together with the personalities they commemorate, they are authentic witnesses who speak in historical memory like those who remember Napoleon.
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The first volume of the book “[They] Remember Napoleon: Structures of the Artistic (Re)presentation of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Personalities of His Time” is a continuation of the books “Mirror of Power” and “Thirteenth Chamber of... more
The first volume of the book “[They] Remember Napoleon: Structures of the Artistic (Re)presentation of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Personalities of His Time” is a continuation of the books “Mirror of Power” and “Thirteenth Chamber of Napoleon” which analyse the formation of the image of Napoleon Bonaparte in art and the reflection of the Napoleonic period in the collections of manor houses managed by the National Heritage Institute in the Czech Republic. In addition to Napoleon's (re)presentation, the book also focuses on other important personalities of Napoleon's time who attracted the attention of artists in various European countries and remained connected to the Czech lands as well. Marshals Józef Antoni Poniatowski (1763–1813), Gebhard Leberecht Blücher von Wahlstatt (1742–1819) and others enter the scene in the structures of artistic (re)presentation. The research of artefacts in Czech collections was carried out using a comparative method in the context of cultural heritage preserved in relevant foreign memory institutions or in selected private collections. The reviewed monograph is the result of a research supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic.
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From October 23 to December 24, 1820, the Congress of the Holy Alliance took place in Opava (Troppau). Three European monarchs and their diplomats met here on the periphery of the Habsburg monarchy. The city fulfilled its task with... more
From October 23 to December 24, 1820, the Congress of the Holy Alliance took place in Opava (Troppau). Three European monarchs and their diplomats met here on the periphery of the Habsburg monarchy. The city fulfilled its task with dignity and welcomed a number of wealthy guests. Representatives of Austria and Russia played a key role in the Congress. The subject of the negotiations was primarily the situation and the revolutionary movement in the south of Italy, which led to the establishment of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies on a constitutional basis. The research realised on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the Congress of Troppau revealed a number of valuable sources related to this historical event, kept in Czech and foreign memory institutions. This book summarizing a number of new findings is the result of an international dialogue between historians. The interpretations and reinterpretations of the Congress of Troppau pointed out its importance "between times" not only in the history of the city and the region, but also in the historical memory and the international context.
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This monograph examines the relationship between Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) and his chief adviser in the art – Dominique Vivant Denon (1747–1825). Both most likely fatalists, it was Denon who helped light up Bonaparte’s star. And it... more
This monograph examines the relationship between Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) and his chief adviser in the art – Dominique Vivant Denon (1747–1825). Both most likely fatalists, it was Denon who helped light up Bonaparte’s star. And it was also Denon, the creator of the myth of Napoleon’s restored Empire of the West after Emperor’s victorious campaign of 1805, who played a decisive role in shaping Napoleon’s personality cult through art. For Denon, art was a means of expression; representation, propaganda and the cult of personality were form, but the real driving force – as for many other artists – was the soul. This soul found its expression in the astral (or solar) archetype of the star – it was reflected both in the Napoleonic symbolism, enriching the decorative vocabulary of the Empire style, and in period iconography. Bonaparte saw in it “his lucky star”. Denon himself, enchanted by this star, began to amplify and transpose all radiance of the Napoleon’s star so that it would remain permanently anchored in the minds of the present and subsequent generations. The allure of the Empire style still confirms its originality and artistic license. Its qualities have sometimes been unjustly denied. The analysis carried out in this book proves that art in France during the period of Napoleon’s reign did not lead to the lack of creative freedom or the mental dictatorship of the glorified French sovereign. The Empire style was a mirror of the visions of Napoleon I, Denon, and a number of artists who were willing to participate in the imperial presentation.
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In 2020, two hundred years passed since the internationally and politically significant event which took place in Opava (Troppau) from October 20 to December 24, 1820 and entered in European history as the Congress of Troppau (Opava). Its... more
In 2020, two hundred years passed since the internationally and politically significant event which took place in Opava (Troppau) from October 20 to December 24, 1820 and entered in European history as the Congress of Troppau (Opava). Its reminder in the form of exhibition including an accompanying book is the result of cooperation between the Silesian University in Opava, the Silesian Museum, the Provincial Archive in Opava, the Opava Cultural Organization and the National Heritage Institute. The book was created by a team of authors as an accompanying publication to the interior and exterior exhibition which present a number of selected artifacts, written sources and existing or no longer existing Opava houses within the concept of places of memory in connection with this historical event. In the individual chapters, the facts of the Opava Congress, its historical topography, as well as the political and cultural context of the time in which the local congress negotiations took place are analyzed on the example of specific sources of cultural heritage. The focus is on the personalities, course and international political context of the Opava Congress, its European significance, the role of Opava, and the place of the "Opava episode" of the congress system of the Concert of Great Powers in historical memory are evaluated. The research of written and iconographic sources in memory institutions, carried out in the preparation of this book, revealed a number of new and hitherto unpublished knowledge, enabled the identification of a number of artifacts and historical documents.
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The book "Modern European in the First Half of the 19th Century" brings interesting insights into the penetration of elements of modernity into various areas of society in the first decades of the “long” 19th century. The individual... more
The book "Modern European in the First Half of the 19th Century" brings interesting insights into the penetration of elements of modernity into various areas of society in the first decades of the “long” 19th century. The individual chapters form a mosaic creating a meaningful picture of a changing Europe and, in particular, minor imperceptible changes in the (self)conception of the then man. The aim of this book is to "bring the profile of the 'modern' European and the image of the 'modern' Europe as it appeared to generations in the first decades of the 'long' century and how it appears to us as time has passed". Although each chapter focuses on the different themes of "great" and "small" history in different European regions and pursues them from different perspectives of political, cultural and social history, history of mentalities, history of science and technology and art history, they always help to explain in interdisciplinarity the various causes and influences that, during the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars and Europe after the Congress of Vienna, gave birth to a "modern" Europe and the formation of a "modern" European.
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Shaping the image of Napoleon Bonaparte remains a present topic and the object of various interpretations and reinterpretations. This book, named characteristically The Mirror of Power, presents one of them. It is a manual for... more
Shaping the image of Napoleon Bonaparte remains a present topic and the object of various interpretations and reinterpretations. This book, named characteristically The Mirror of Power, presents one of them. It is a manual for understanding the cultural politics of Napoleon's regime in the area of visual arts and its real consequences on cultural heritage. Napoleon's personal charm not only captivated art and science, it also entered the world of philosophy, becoming an ontologic and gnoseologic problem of his era. Philosophers and intellectuals were searching the answers to the question of how to name this charm, this topic of the new century; how to deal with it and find its place in the course of time. One of the results of such considerations is the model of will to power by Friedrich Nietzsche. After all, it was this will that led the young French general to become the First Consul, the Emperor of the French and King of Italy. He embraced this will to power in his image in order to represent his majesty by the means of an impressive medium: by the means of art. An action was followed by a reaction; Napoleon's will to power became part of an artistic concept, seized by the artists who continued to shape it. Soon it entered Napoleon's legend and myth to live its own second life and spread itself over historical memory. The art thus became a mirror of power reflecting Napoleon's will. In this form it has been talking to us through surviving cultural heritage – the napoleonics – displayed in the castles and châteaux administrated by the National Heritage Institute.
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The Napoleonic Wars are still reflected by works of art and products of arts and crafts, or any imprint of human creativity called Napoleonics. Thanks to the rich iconography of these objects we can create an idea of the events and... more
The Napoleonic Wars are still reflected by works of art and products of arts and crafts, or any imprint of human creativity called Napoleonics. Thanks to the rich iconography of these objects we can create an idea of the events and personalities that at the turn of the 18th century and the 19th century were stirring the fate of Europe. It is a specific category of cultural heritage which functions as a mediator of historical memory with a clear reference to the contradictory character of Napoleon Bonaparte. His dizzying life story, which surprised the same time, has been presented for many centuries in numerous collections of castles and other manor residences. This monograph serves as an imaginary room that opens the door to see the multi-layered image of the most remarkable French emperor and general. The 13th Chamber of Napoleon provides many answers in visual arts to the question of his own myth, which still crosses the border and enchants generations across the continents.
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The textbook, guaranteed by university experts, summarizes the period of the “long” 19th century (1789–1914). It focuses on the fundamental and long-term changes that have led to the emergence of modern society and the state - far from... more
The textbook, guaranteed by university experts, summarizes the period of the “long” 19th century (1789–1914). It focuses on the fundamental and long-term changes that have led to the emergence of modern society and the state - far from only political history. It is complemented by a number of concrete examples, a number of period illustrations, photographs, historical maps, etc. The textbook is supplemented with a workbook and a handbook for teachers.
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This book maps the circumstances of unnecessary liquidation of the Wallenstein Hospital in Duchcov (Dux) and the peripetia of the transfer of Reiner's fresco removed from the dome of the hospital church. But it is also a memento. It... more
This book maps the circumstances of unnecessary liquidation of the Wallenstein Hospital in Duchcov (Dux) and the peripetia of the transfer of Reiner's fresco removed from the dome of the hospital church. But it is also a memento. It deliberately lets only authentic sources that underline this story, especially from the late 1940s to early 1980s, with understandable overlaps to ask new questions and evoke perspectives. The story of two monuments, the first of which no longer exists, and the second, whose “second life” is under threat of degradation, is a partial probe into the issue of the post-war Czechoslovakia's approach to cultural heritage in the North Bohemia region. The book analyses also the context in which the scope of monument care has been defined in the past. It should be a warning, among other things, about the mistakes we make today in accessing the heritage fund. This publication is not a classic edition of sources. It is based on a representative selection that has been digitized or converted from printed to electronic form and it is now made available by publication. It is the first book of its kind to gather source material on this subject.
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This book first mapped the historical territory and connections of the battlefield of Austerlitz - a place of memory of the “Battle of the Three Emperors” which took place on December 2, 1805. The collective monograph is the result of... more
This book first mapped the historical territory and connections of the battlefield of Austerlitz - a place of memory of the “Battle of the Three Emperors” which took place on December 2, 1805. The collective monograph is the result of interdisciplinary cooperation between battlefield experts and historians, based on the latest knowledge and updated data. The book is supplemented with up-to-date photographic documentation of all memorial objects and places of memory on the battlefield related to the war conflict of 1805. The memorial objects in Brno and Slavkov u Brna are also added.
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Panel presentato nella XI edizione dei Cantieri di Storia Sissco, 15-17 settembre 2021 (sessione VI, 16 settembre 2021)
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V panteóne dejín: alegorický koncept strednej Európy z roku 1805 v umeleckej produkcii a kultúrnej politike prvého cisárstva vo Francúzsku [In the Pantheon of History: an Allegorical Concept of Central Europe from 1805 in the Artistic Production and Cultural Policy of the First Empire in France]more
The chapter deals with the allegorical concept of Central Europe and its anchorage in the official artistic production of the First Empire in France following the victorious campaign of the French army of Emperor Napoleon I in Central... more
The chapter deals with the allegorical concept of Central Europe and its anchorage in the official artistic production of the First Empire in France following the victorious campaign of the French army of Emperor Napoleon I in Central Europe in November and December 1805. The focus of state acquisitions and contracts carried out in the context of the state cultural policy of Napoleon's imperial regime are selected works of art that can be considered markers of period artistic production, and whose iconographic program reflects the allegorical concept of Central Europe in the light of the historical events of 1805. These are artifacts created by renowned artists and representatives of the French school Antoine-François Callet (1741-1823), Charles Meynier (1763-1832) and Jacques-Philippe Lesueur (1757/9-1830) with the contribution of Dominique-Vivant Denon (1747-1825), general director of museums in France.
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The chapter deals with the concept of Central Europe in international relations promoted in the context of the Napoleonic Wars by Napoleon's diplomat and Minister of Foreign Affairs Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838).... more
The chapter deals with the concept of Central Europe in international relations promoted in the context of the Napoleonic Wars by Napoleon's diplomat and Minister of Foreign Affairs Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838). Talleyrand's concept is defined through the analysis of his work correspondence, memoirs and other egodocuments from 1805 to 1810. Its starting points are confronted with the ideas and growing ambitions of the French emperor during his victorious military campaigns into the Central European area within the borders of the Habsburg monarchy in 1805 and 1809.
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The study deals with the reception of the imperial vision of the "re-established empire" in the context of aristocratic residences in the era of Neoclassicism, Empire style and Biedermeier, with this vision most strongly reflected in the... more
The study deals with the reception of the imperial vision of the "re-established empire" in the context of aristocratic residences in the era of Neoclassicism, Empire style and Biedermeier, with this vision most strongly reflected in the Empire style. The analysis is carried out on a representative set of specific examples of manor houses in Central Europe and especially the residences of Klemens Wenzel Nepomuk Lothar, Prince of Metternich-Winneburg zu Beilstein (1773–1859), whose interest in collecting and cultural heritage of antiquity is evidenced not only by preserved iconographic sources, but also by his private correspondence.
The adaptation of the exteriors and interiors of the residences of the Austrian State Chancellor Metternich showed the prince's lively interest in art, refined aesthetic qualities and his demonstrable interest in the cultural heritage of antiquity, which he repeatedly mentioned in his correspondence. The composition of luxury decorations, artifacts of intercultural provenance and expensive materials in the manor houses of Metternich's time emphasized the importance of noble clients, indicated their social status, influence and personal ambitions, as well as served to present their financial possibilities and the extent of their wealth. In the residences conceived in this way, conditions were naturally created for the presentation of the imperial vision, representing its bearers, exhibiting a sophisticated living space and taste through fashionable interior and exterior design and collecting activities. They had their houses decorated à l'antique along the lines of the dwellings of Roman patricians, not only in the style of neoclassicism, but also in its advanced stages of development – in the Empire style and Biedermeier. And like them, the new elites after 1800 assumed the role of collectors who, if they could not have the originals of masterpieces by renowned artists, had at least their replicas made and symbolically celebrated their own triumphs, exhibiting them in places of honour in the interior of their mansions. In this way, too, they were inspired by ancient symbolic forms, which they adapted to their own image, and by the visual narrative of ancient triumphants they stylized themselves into, thus following the example of one of the modern heroes, achieving colossality of ancient proportions in artistic presentation – Napoleon I (1769–1821). Long after his death, the former French emperor attracted the attention of subsequent generations of (not only) Europeans with his life story, was introduced into the pantheon of heroes of modern history and his legacy motivated to imitate (not only) in the adaptation of aristocratic and royal residences. Their owners based the aesthetics of their living space – like Napoleon and his family, the fourth ruling dynasty in France – on the presentation of an imperial vision, programmatically reflected in their memories, emotions or ambitions. The imperial vision à l'antique, reflected in art after 1800, which acquired a pejorative meaning in the rhetoric of Marxist historiography and relegated the Empire style in the Central European area to the periphery of interest, returned to its original meaning after 1989.
The adaptation of the exteriors and interiors of the residences of the Austrian State Chancellor Metternich showed the prince's lively interest in art, refined aesthetic qualities and his demonstrable interest in the cultural heritage of antiquity, which he repeatedly mentioned in his correspondence. The composition of luxury decorations, artifacts of intercultural provenance and expensive materials in the manor houses of Metternich's time emphasized the importance of noble clients, indicated their social status, influence and personal ambitions, as well as served to present their financial possibilities and the extent of their wealth. In the residences conceived in this way, conditions were naturally created for the presentation of the imperial vision, representing its bearers, exhibiting a sophisticated living space and taste through fashionable interior and exterior design and collecting activities. They had their houses decorated à l'antique along the lines of the dwellings of Roman patricians, not only in the style of neoclassicism, but also in its advanced stages of development – in the Empire style and Biedermeier. And like them, the new elites after 1800 assumed the role of collectors who, if they could not have the originals of masterpieces by renowned artists, had at least their replicas made and symbolically celebrated their own triumphs, exhibiting them in places of honour in the interior of their mansions. In this way, too, they were inspired by ancient symbolic forms, which they adapted to their own image, and by the visual narrative of ancient triumphants they stylized themselves into, thus following the example of one of the modern heroes, achieving colossality of ancient proportions in artistic presentation – Napoleon I (1769–1821). Long after his death, the former French emperor attracted the attention of subsequent generations of (not only) Europeans with his life story, was introduced into the pantheon of heroes of modern history and his legacy motivated to imitate (not only) in the adaptation of aristocratic and royal residences. Their owners based the aesthetics of their living space – like Napoleon and his family, the fourth ruling dynasty in France – on the presentation of an imperial vision, programmatically reflected in their memories, emotions or ambitions. The imperial vision à l'antique, reflected in art after 1800, which acquired a pejorative meaning in the rhetoric of Marxist historiography and relegated the Empire style in the Central European area to the periphery of interest, returned to its original meaning after 1989.
Research Interests:
The chapter focuses on ancient influences in the iconography of the Napoleonic and post-Napoleonic periods in the Metternich collection kept in the collections of Kynžvart (Königswart) Chateau. Within the necessary contextualization,... more
The chapter focuses on ancient influences in the iconography of the Napoleonic and post-Napoleonic periods in the Metternich collection kept in the collections of Kynžvart (Königswart) Chateau. Within the necessary contextualization, iconography is examined in connection with selected artifacts reflecting the cultural heritage of Antiquity and objects influenced by the official artistic production of Napoleonic France citing ancient models. The cultural heritage of Antiquity played a normative role in Napoleonʼs time, and its importance continued to reverberate long after it had passed. This was facilitated not only by rulers, statesmen or commanders, "victors over Napoleon", famous princes who, within their official representation, styled themselves in the role of modern Caesars, Augustus or Hercules, but also collectors focusing on preserving remarkable reminiscences of the epoch of "great history", in which the ambitions of imperialism and the desire for megalomania were reflected. The objects of interest were again not only the heroes and great empires of Antiquity, but above all the events from the beginning of the 19th century which they witnessed directly and in whose fame many of them as "princes of Antiquity" – similarly to Klemens Wenzel Nepomuk Lothar, Prince of Metternich-Winneburg zu Beilstein (1773–1859) – could participate to varying degrees.
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The interpretations of historians and art historians differed methodologically and terminologically in the question of Napoleon's representation via art both in space and in time. The usual "black-and-white" view of Napoleon's imperial... more
The interpretations of historians and art historians differed methodologically and terminologically in the question of Napoleon's representation via art both in space and in time. The usual "black-and-white" view of Napoleon's imperial style degraded this artistic style, especially by the tendencious Marxist historiography, to a mere means of political propaganda by the Napoleonic regime. Such a concept completely denied the nature of the specific art that developed in France as one of the consequences of Napoleon's cultural policy. Art? Propaganda? How do these two instances relate to each other in the case of Napoleon's art representation? To what extent can art serve as a tool of propaganda? This question is complicated to the same extent by the divergence of experts. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the significance of the Empire style and return it to its artistic license which was denied to him mainly in the countries of the Eastern Bloc bound by the ideologies of Marxism and Communism. The bicentennial of Napoleon's death, commemorated by memory institutions through the concept of places of memory and cultural heritage in the interests of interdisciplinary and international cooperation, contributes to the construction of a pillar that could support the legitimacy of this license.
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The study deals with the iconography of the triumphal chariot which was the preferred part of the official genre of historical painting within the visual culture and cultural policy of the changing state regimes in France from the French... more
The study deals with the iconography of the triumphal chariot which was the preferred part of the official genre of historical painting within the visual culture and cultural policy of the changing state regimes in France from the French Revolution to the end of the Second Empire. The focus is on specific artifacts and their authors, as well as the period political, cultural and social context which defined the form and ideological content of the cult of heroes stylized into the role of modern triumphants.
The theme of the triumphal chariot took on new topicalities in the turning points of modern history, especially in connection with the official rhetoric of artistic (re)presentation or propaganda and depending on the needs of the relevant government. Perhaps the most striking iconography of the triumphators, inspired by the ancient tradition and updated in the contemporary European context, has been used in France between 1793 and 1870. Every regime, every government, every sovereign who seized power, sought the symbolic forms of its representation and, consequently, the imaginary “charioteers” in the ranks of artists whose task was to shape and direct the official visual narrative. The theme of modern triumphators and triumphal chariots is a proof that the time of heroes changes, each time generates its heroes. Even old matrices of heroism, determined by time, are programmatically assigned new meanings for various reasons. Political and social developments in France from the French Revolution to the end of the Second Empire not only brought about extensive political and societal changes, but gave birth to many national heroes, defined important values or achievements to which they attributed a personified form, and as such remained anchored in historical memory. Movable cultural heritage, preserved to this day in memory institutions, demonstrates the changes in visual culture in relation to the political and social transformation of France in the 19th century and is an important contribution to knowledge in cultural history, art history and history of mentalities. Examples are the works of Joseph-Marie Vien (1716–1809), Pierre-Paul Prudʼhon (1758–1823), Antoine-François Callet (1741–1823), Louis-Léopold Boilly (1761–1845), Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780–1867), Alphonse Guillaume Cabasson (1814–1884) and other prominent painters accepting government contracts.
The theme of the triumphal chariot took on new topicalities in the turning points of modern history, especially in connection with the official rhetoric of artistic (re)presentation or propaganda and depending on the needs of the relevant government. Perhaps the most striking iconography of the triumphators, inspired by the ancient tradition and updated in the contemporary European context, has been used in France between 1793 and 1870. Every regime, every government, every sovereign who seized power, sought the symbolic forms of its representation and, consequently, the imaginary “charioteers” in the ranks of artists whose task was to shape and direct the official visual narrative. The theme of modern triumphators and triumphal chariots is a proof that the time of heroes changes, each time generates its heroes. Even old matrices of heroism, determined by time, are programmatically assigned new meanings for various reasons. Political and social developments in France from the French Revolution to the end of the Second Empire not only brought about extensive political and societal changes, but gave birth to many national heroes, defined important values or achievements to which they attributed a personified form, and as such remained anchored in historical memory. Movable cultural heritage, preserved to this day in memory institutions, demonstrates the changes in visual culture in relation to the political and social transformation of France in the 19th century and is an important contribution to knowledge in cultural history, art history and history of mentalities. Examples are the works of Joseph-Marie Vien (1716–1809), Pierre-Paul Prudʼhon (1758–1823), Antoine-François Callet (1741–1823), Louis-Léopold Boilly (1761–1845), Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780–1867), Alphonse Guillaume Cabasson (1814–1884) and other prominent painters accepting government contracts.
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The book “Congress of Troppau 1820 and the Politics of the Holy Alliance between Times” also includes the chapter “On the Congress of Troppau, or When Reason, Justice and Humanity Do Not Rule. The Accuser Baron Bignon, the Tribune of... more
The book “Congress of Troppau 1820 and the Politics of the Holy Alliance between Times” also includes the chapter “On the Congress of Troppau, or When Reason, Justice and Humanity Do Not Rule. The Accuser Baron Bignon, the Tribune of European Constitutionalism”. The object of interest is the French baron Louis-Pierre-Édouard Bignon (1771–1841), the famous tribune of European constitutionalism, a critic of the conservative and “congress” politics of the Holy Alliance. He was the author of the first theoretical analysis reflecting the results of the proceedings of the Troppau Congress of the Holy Alliance from 1820. The chapter deals with the core ideas of Bignon's book „Du congrès de Troppau ou Examen des prétentions des monarchies absolues à l’égard de la monarchie constitutionnelle de Naples“ [On the Congress of Troppau, or a Review of the Claims of Absolutist Monarchies against the Constitutional Monarchy in Naples] and analytically evaluates the image of the Congress in Opava (Troppau) in Bignon's view. Author analyses Bignon's ideological starting points or motives for writing this book.
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The introduction to the book “Congress of Troppau of 1820 and the Politics of the Holy Alliance between Times” is a starting point for the analysis of the Troppau Congress of the Holy Alliance which took place from October 23 to December... more
The introduction to the book “Congress of Troppau of 1820 and the Politics of the Holy Alliance between Times” is a starting point for the analysis of the Troppau Congress of the Holy Alliance which took place from October 23 to December 24, 1820 in Opava (Troppau). The chapter offers a representative comparison of the key ideas of modern foreign historians, selectively representing the French, Italian and German historiographic schools, supplemented by a significant view of a renowned American political scientist with the experience of a high-ranking career diplomat. Last but not least, the aim is to outline to the readers of this book the starting points for the issues followed in the next chapters, in which they will become familiar with the results of partial research by individual authors.
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For several generations, the House of Blücher revived the memory of the famed family ancestor - Prussian Field Marshal Gebhard Leberecht Blücher (1742-1819) who distinguished himself in the last three years of the Napoleonic Wars. In... more
For several generations, the House of Blücher revived the memory of the famed family ancestor - Prussian Field Marshal Gebhard Leberecht Blücher (1742-1819) who distinguished himself in the last three years of the Napoleonic Wars. In 1813, the Allies appointed him commander-in-chief of the “Silesian Army” and he participated in the victory of the Allies in the “Battle of the Nations” at Leipzig. In 1815, he led the Prussian army incorporated into the coalition army which was subject to the High Command of the Duke of Wellington. Blücher rushed to help the Allies at a crucial moment to contribute to the final defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18th. Soon after, he was appointed military governor of the city of Paris who surrendered to the Allies. The Prussians captured the Napoleon's carriage from Genappe in the victory battle of Waterloo which had been brought by Marshal Blücher to his estate and later on the carriage had been transferred at Raduň Château in Czech Silesia. The Blücher family kept this trophy as rare family relic before it was moved to French state collections after World War II. At Raduň Château in Czech Silesia, there is still photograph of Napoleon's carriage and period copies of portraits of Bonaparte family which commemorate the important events of 1815 in the historical memory of the noble residence and famous moments from the history of the House of Blücher, the former owners of the Raduň Château, currently administered by the National Heritage Institute. The paper deals with the analysis of Napoleon's carriage, the circumstances of the transfer and its preservation in the heritage of the Blücher family.
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From the perspective of heritage conservation the pavilion for Reiner’s fresco in the chateau garden in Duchcov is conceived as a structured unit. The Baroque fresco was created in 1728 by the renowned master Václav Vavřinec Reiner... more
From the perspective of heritage conservation the pavilion for Reiner’s fresco in the chateau garden in Duchcov is conceived as a structured unit. The Baroque fresco was created in 1728 by the renowned master Václav Vavřinec Reiner following the order of Count Jan Josef of Waldstein and in 1956 it was removed from the cupola of the abolished hospital church so that it could be transferred to the secondary cupola of the newly built pavilion in the early 1980s designed by an architect Jan Sokol. In the collective consciousness, this work remains perceived as “halfway through its journey” between tradition and modernity. Research into archival sources documenting circumstances of its final acceptance and opening to the public in the years 1982–1983 opens a discussion and reveals limits of this act of accessibility. The research also evaluates a relationship of the Baroque monument transferred into a modern building to the relevant place in the collective memory of the region. Although the symbiosis of the “old in the new” was a unique achievement in this extent in the period of socialist heritage conservation, time soon showed that it did not completely meet the goals set for it. By approving of the unfinished pavilion, a “modernity tax” was paid, which was probably not expected at the beginning of the project. It thus became a symbol of a post-war state cultural policy and approach to the heritage fund in socialist Czechoslovakia, especially in the region until recently defined by a heavy exploitation and economic profitability of the “industrial zone” of the northwestern Bohemia.
Research Interests: Modern History, Cultural History, Cultural Heritage, History and Memory, Cultural Heritage Conservation, and 8 moreHeritage Conservation, Modern Architecture, History and Theory of Modern Architecture, Science for Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, Conservation and Restoration, Monuments, History of Architecture, and Science for Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage and History of Architecture
The formation of the image of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Republican general, the First consul and later the Emperor of France and the King of Italy, has been a central theme of artistic production since the end of the 18th century, the... more
The formation of the image of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Republican general, the First consul and later the Emperor of France and the King of Italy, has been a central theme of artistic production since the end of the 18th century, the subject attracting the attention of the European public and provoking the imagination of artists. Part of the message of the new sovereign of France was messianism, ideologically used for the needs of Napoleonic propaganda which was soon reflected in its (re)presentation by artistic means. The paper analyses the messianic tendencies characteristic for Napoleonic iconography in its initial phase – in the official art production of the First Republic and the First Empire in France (1799–1815). On the basis of selected artifacts, exemples of this production, originating from the collections of the National Heritage Institute and other memory institutions, it illuminates the circumstances of the origin of these artifacts and their significance in the period context.
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The chapter "Europe(an) in the Age of Transition: From Napoleon's Europe Project to the Vision of a Common Europe of Nations" is a prologue to the book "Modern European in the First Half of the 19th Century" dealing with the penetration... more
The chapter "Europe(an) in the Age of Transition: From Napoleon's Europe Project to the Vision of a Common Europe of Nations" is a prologue to the book "Modern European in the First Half of the 19th Century" dealing with the penetration of elements of modernity into various areas of society in the first decades of the “long” 19th century. The paper summarizes the formation of the idea of a united Europe from the Enlightenment concepts to the Romantic period on the example of selected concepts drawn up by philosophers, statesmen, politicians, diplomats and writers (Voltaire, Emmerich de Vattel, Napoleon Bonaparte, Wenzel Lothar von Metternich-Winneburg, François René de Chateaubriand and more). The central theme is the application of the idea of a united Europe from the time of Napoleon Bonaparte's reign to the concert of the Great Powers after 1815. This chapter also clarifies the role that cultural heritage can play in international politics and how the model of European togetherness and mutual coexistence can be evaluated through collective memory.
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The paper "The Napoleon Museum (Musée Napoléon) in the Louvre and the beginnings of modern European museums" is a chapter to the book "Modern European in the First Half of the 19th Century" dealing with the penetration of elements of... more
The paper "The Napoleon Museum (Musée Napoléon) in the Louvre and the beginnings of modern European museums" is a chapter to the book "Modern European in the First Half of the 19th Century" dealing with the penetration of elements of modernity into various areas of society in the first decades of the “long” 19th century. The chapter looks for the roots of modern museums, which were embedded in France at the time of the Napoleonic Wars and immediately afterwards in other European countries. Revolutionary and Napoleonic France heralded the birth of modern times in the fields of cultural policy, museums and the formation of national identities. Its real impact was, for example, an effort to preserve Europe's historical memory and to modernize the presentation of the cultural heritage to the European public, preserved for present and future generations. In the center of attention is the memory institution, which during its existence was unprecedented in Europe and subsequently became an inspiration for other memory institutions built in other European countries - The Napoleon Museum, based in the Louvre Palace in Paris. The chapter analyses the significance of this modern public institution of European importance for French citizens and foreign visitors and its influence on the formation of national memory institutions (museums) in other European countries.
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State Château in Duchcov (Dux) is an important monument quite popular due to its reach history and valuable heritage fund. Since the mid-sixties of the last century it has been carried out a renovation of the château including an entire... more
State Château in Duchcov (Dux) is an important monument quite popular due to its reach history and valuable heritage fund. Since the mid-sixties of the last century it has been carried out a renovation of the château including an entire château complex. Its aim was to open the premises to public and use them for various cultural and social occasions. The main target of implemented renovation works was to rectify inappropriate interventions from previous years and to restore the interior and exterior spaces to their original form. This study analyses the conception of a new interior installation and presentation of these premises in the southern wing, based on a survey of archive sources, furniture from the National Heritage Institute funds and other materials. The aim of the conception of new installation, finalized in 2017, was to commemmorate particular historical personalities of the Wallenstein family and the culture of living and lifestyle at their noble residence. The important sources determinative for the new installation were the restored historical wall paintings in the interiors. Another iconographic source and starting point for the installation of three rooms in a ladies apartment were three colored documentary paintings by Amalie von Peter (1807–1853), depicting the relevant interiors of the years of 1849–1850. These period pictorial sources were first identified and evaluated for the benefit of the heritage object which they document.
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The Napoleonic Wars are still reflected by works of art and products of arts and crafts, or any imprints of human creativity called Napoleonic memorabilia (or Napoleonics). Regarding the rich iconography of these objects we can create an... more
The Napoleonic Wars are still reflected by works of art and products of arts and crafts, or any imprints of human creativity called Napoleonic memorabilia (or Napoleonics). Regarding the rich iconography of these objects we can create an idea of the events and personalities that at the turn of the 18th century and the 19th century were stirring the fate of Europe. It is a specific category of cultural heritage which functions as a mediator of historical memory with a clear reference to the contradictory character of Napoleon Bonaparte. His dizzying life story, which surprised and shocked the society at the same time, has been presented in numerous collections of castles and other manor residences for many centuries. Among the major historical events that influenced the collecting of these artefacts in the historical lands of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, besides military successes of Coalition in the Battle of Aspern and other battles in recent years of the Napoleonic wars, was also the marriage of the Emperor Napoleon I with the Austrian Archduchess Marie Louise, the factual alliance of the Austrian and French Imperial Houses. These events, their main actors and other participants, whether standing alongside or against France, provided artists with a variety of themes for their artistic interpretation. The birth of the successor of the French throne, the legitimate descendant of the Habsburg and Bonaparte dynasty, with the newly established title of the Roman King, meant one of the decisive inspirational impulses for the world of art and period iconography. Renowned events attended by the members of both Imperial Houses and the Czech nobility are still commemorated in iconography on a number of objects in château collections currently managed by the National Heritage Institute in the Czech Republic. These collections also preserved items from Napoleon's inheritance which were perceived by their former owners and noble collectors as relics or curiosities and, at the same time, a trace of great history, reminded in their ancestral memory.
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The cultural heritage has a number of important functions for society; we can perceive it as an imaginary mirror of the society which created it, but also the one that cared after it, whether it had the ambition to preserve it or not, or... more
The cultural heritage has a number of important functions for society; we can perceive it as an imaginary mirror of the society which created it, but also the one that cared after it, whether it had the ambition to preserve it or not, or even to destroy it for future generations. This study deals with the cultural heritage of the first French Republic during the Napoleon Bonaparte Consulate in 1799–1804 which was marked by the ideological excesses and political turbulences of the previous Revolutionary regime. It is a partial probe into the life of the Parisian society and an analysis of selected pictorial and memoir sources in particular. These on concrete examples indicate the intentions of the Bonaparte Consulate and also the attribution of its functions to the cultural wealth of the past. At the same time, the paper tries to answer the question whether the intentions of the political representation of that period were compatible with the expectations of the audience forming within a wide range of contemporaries and how they were actually perceived by an immediate viewer who was in everyday contact with the cultural heritage.
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In the years 1973–1976 was implemented the construction of a modern pavilion for the transferred Baroque fresco of Václav Vavřinec Reiner (1689–1743) and a series of statues by Baroque masters, dismantled in the year 1956, just before the... more
In the years 1973–1976 was implemented the construction of a modern pavilion for the transferred Baroque fresco of Václav Vavřinec Reiner (1689–1743) and a series of statues by Baroque masters, dismantled in the year 1956, just before the destruction from the abolished hospital in Duchcov (Dux) chateau complex. Based on the project of architect Jan Sokol (1904–1987) it was carried out at the expense of the mining company and under the supervision of the State heritage conservation. The result is the exhibition pavilion, characteristic by its invention in various stylistic concepts, supported by modern materials, forming one functional unit. This study analyses the circumstances of origins of this building and its place in the collective memory of the region, ideological and technological limits, however, raise the issue of discontinuity as well as future prospects of the modern building of the pavilion with regard to the installed Baroque fresco. The well-being of the fresco painting has been long questioned because of the continuing deterioration of its state in the unsuitable climate of the reinforced concrete building. The image of the church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary at the abolished hospital, the architecturally valuable and original exhibition pavilion with planned natural climate regulation, the place of memory of a vanished part of the landscape of Duchcov chateau complex still remains the imprint of the “poetics” of coal mines. The study also refers to the context in which long after the World War II functioned state heritage conservation in this industrial region of the Northwestern Bohemia.
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Code civil is the result of a monumental legal activity in France initiated by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1799 and realized in the following years by a commission of experts led by Cambacérès. Among them there were other renowned lawyers, such... more
Code civil is the result of a monumental legal activity in France initiated by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1799 and realized in the following years by a commission of experts led by Cambacérès. Among them there were other renowned lawyers, such as Tronchet, Portalis, and Malevill. The Napoleonic Civil Code, adopted on 21 March 1804 after much debate and intensive work, confirmed some of the principles of 1789: the freedom of the individual, equality before the law, laicization of the state, and unlimited and non-forfeitable (forever-enduring) property rights. The Code also enabled the constitution of the bourgeois family by strengthening the father and husband's authority and introducing limited divorce rules. Nevertheless, it still considered the married woman, in relation to her husband, as inferior. Under the new civil law, the woman was fully submitted to her husband´s paternalistic protection: she could not dispose freely of her property or plead in her own name before a court of law without the consent of her husband. The Code civil, called by Napoleon “My Code", which was published in 1807 again under the name of the French Emperor as the Code Napoléon, is still considered to be the most important legacy of the Napoleonic government not only in France but also in countries occupied by the French. During the 19th and 20th centuries, it served as a model for many other civil-law texts adopted in various states across continents.
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The Napoleonic Wars are still commemorated by silent witnesses of period – artworks, handicrafts products, or other imprints of human creativity. With regard to the substantial iconography, which they carry, we can create an idea of... more
The Napoleonic Wars are still commemorated by silent witnesses of period – artworks, handicrafts products, or other imprints of human creativity. With regard to the substantial iconography, which they carry, we can create an idea of significant events which marked the period of the Napoleonic Wars and personalities who moved the course of Europe at the turn of the 19th century. Like the Napoleonic Wars was overpassing borders of European countries, the world of art and artists was still faced with a large number of iconographic topics, which responded to the demand of wealthy patrons and collectors. This paper analyses these topics demanded in the Lands of the Bohemian Crown as the object of admiration by private collectors and their personal involvement, as they entered into a collective, family or personal memory. The aim of this paper is not to create a complete list, but define the specific iconography conserved in the historical memory of former aristocratic houses and determine the selected criteria identifying them as a specific cultural heritage held in the collections managed by the National Heritage Institute and other selected memory institutions.
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This paper aims to map out Napoleon‘s campaign in Central Europe culminating with battle of Austerlitz and signing of the peace in Bratislava (December 1805) as the main motive for artistic works not only figural art and painting, but... more
This paper aims to map out Napoleon‘s campaign in Central Europe culminating with battle of Austerlitz and signing of the peace in Bratislava (December 1805) as the main motive for artistic works not only figural art and painting, but also and primarily branch of memorial medal art. This study analyses the iconography in the collection of official memorial medaillons coined in France, which used Napoleon‘s campaign in 1805 as a subject-matter and a source of inspiration.
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This paper reflects one of the most prominent cultural exchanges, carried out in France in the early 19th century from utilitarian, aesthetic and political reasons, which occurred against the background of state-controlled celebrations... more
This paper reflects one of the most prominent cultural exchanges, carried out in France in the early 19th century from utilitarian, aesthetic and political reasons, which occurred against the background of state-controlled celebrations pillars of the military regime of Napoleonʾs power in terms of iconography, preservation of monuments and museums. It contributes to a comprehensive picture of the 19th century in France and the idea of art in the field of war and so-called high politics. The main means of this exchange became the Trajan´s Column in Rome, the old monument which had entered collective memory already in ancient times. Eighteen centuries it got in the collective memory for the second time when erected on the Paris Vendôme Square, but with a new message and updated iconographic program.
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Dominique-Vivant Denon, the general director of museums in France from 1802 to 1815 is often considered to be the most important and the most influential person in the domain of Napoleonic art, the coordinator of a new artistic expression... more
Dominique-Vivant Denon, the general director of museums in France from 1802 to 1815 is often considered to be the most important and the most influential person in the domain of Napoleonic art, the coordinator of a new artistic expression “Le Style Empire”, one of the founders of the style “Retour d’Egypte”, as well as the inciter of the new aesthetics of the Consulate and Napoleonic Empire in France. The paper, based primarily on the analysis of Denon´s correspondence and memories of contemporaries, demonstrate that the aspirations of Denon in the presentation of Napoleon and his government via art were oriented to three dimensions of the projection of reality – the representation through art, political propaganda and the personality cult of Napoleon Bonaparte. These were applied by Denon via different measures and, in particular cases, indeed with regards to the wishes and in dependence on limitations ordered by his governor.
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This study analyses the circumstances of the transfer of the fresco of Holy Trinity with the Assumpted Virgin Mary painted by Václav Vavřinec Reiner (1689–1743), the most significant fresco painter of the Czech Baroque period, in a dome... more
This study analyses the circumstances of the transfer of the fresco of Holy Trinity with the Assumpted Virgin Mary painted by Václav Vavřinec Reiner (1689–1743), the most significant fresco painter of the Czech Baroque period, in a dome of the hospital church in Duchcov (Dux). Order for a fresco was placed by a Count Jan Josef Waldstein in 1728. However neither the master Reiner, nor his noble contract owner could have guessed that the fresco would stay in the space, for which it was meant and made, only for two hundred twenty eight years. The fate of the fresco and the church were definitely sealed when the value of supposed bank of coal in the communist Czechoslovakia outweighed heritage value of the exceptional piece of art which thus became liable to economic and ideological interests of the state regime at that time. By the government decree the Waldstein hospital was pulled down due to extensions of a coal mine in the year of 1958. The fresco itself was saved as it was taken down in parts from the dome of the church in 1956 and preserved in boxes. Not serving its function the fresco was then waiting for more than two decades for its reinstallation. At this time it should have lost its value so that it could have served the purposes of financial and ideological calculations. It became an object of various concepts considering its reinstallation in alternative buildings in Prague, Teplice, Duchcov or Osek. Finally in 1964 the decision was made that it would return to its original place as the whole. Neverthelss it had taken a couple of years before the fresco was reinstalled in a new pavilion in revitalized chateau park. It thus became a scarred face of the devastated area whose wounds it has been reflecting till present days.
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This study analyses the circumstances of destruction of the manorial hospital in the chateau garden in Duchcov (Dux) dating to the first third of the 18th century. The historical building with valuable decoration was a common masterpiece... more
This study analyses the circumstances of destruction of the manorial hospital in the chateau garden in Duchcov (Dux) dating to the first third of the 18th century. The historical building with valuable decoration was a common masterpiece of top Baroque masters who in connection with the Waldsteins breathed a spirit of high French Baroque to the whole chateau grounds. The hospital with the central church of Assumption of Virgin Mary was built in the years 1716–1728 on the axis of the western façade of the main chateau building in the distance of 310 metres. According to the authorsʾ intention the building of the hospital made an important part of the whole work of art as it should have functioned as an ideological and architectural counterpoise of the Waldstein chateau in Duchcov. The hospital served its original purpose for almost two hundred years. After the final departure of the Waldsteins from Duchcov the use of the building was discussed. In the 50ʾs a mining company demanded its liquidation due to intended opencast coal mining there. In spite of outrage, interventions and doubts of both institutions and individuals, the efforts to save the hospital were not successful and the hospital with the part of the chateau garden was destroyed. Before the demolition of the hospital valuable sculptural and painting decorations were saved from it. The non-existing Waldstein hospital in Duchcov lives on in a collective memory of the region, its legacy and its meaning will be preserved for ever. Its story became a symbol of devastation in this region and a mean of self-identification for local people, whose lives were and have been influenced by ill-considered preference of economic values to cultural or heritage ones.
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However subordinated to the Interior ministry and collaborated with the general intendance of the House of Emperor, Dominique-Vivant Denon (1747–1825), the general director of museums in France during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte in... more
However subordinated to the Interior ministry and collaborated with the general intendance of the House of Emperor, Dominique-Vivant Denon (1747–1825), the general director of museums in France during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte in France, obtained the large autonomy and the multiplicity of his functions enabled him to centralize the all charge of the fine arts in his hands. His aspirations in the presentation of Napoleon and his government via art were oriented – in different measures and in dependence on Napoleon’s wishes and limitations – to three forms of the projection of reality: the representation by art, political propaganda and the personality cult of Napoleon Bonaparte. The problem of professional coexistence of Napoleon and his chief adviser in the art arose in certain cases from the relation complicated because of the different views of the projection of reality, the aesthetic aspirations and the aims of Napoleonic presentation. Through the analysis of the relation between Napoleon and his chief adviser in the art, this essay claims that Denon was not only the servant of his sovereign, but he assertively aspired to further own cultural policy by pursuing his own artistic and aesthetic aspirations sometimes without the confirmation of his governor.
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The paper deals with the symbolism which represented the personality of Napoleon Bonaparte and his regime in France from 1799 to 1815. It was the symbolism that reflected the ideological worldview, political views, and civic values of... more
The paper deals with the symbolism which represented the personality of Napoleon Bonaparte and his regime in France from 1799 to 1815. It was the symbolism that reflected the ideological worldview, political views, and civic values of Napoleon and his advisers. Artistic, aesthetic, psychological, philosophical, historical and political aspects are followed. From these points of view, the importance of the involvement of Napoleonic symbolism in the decorative vocabulary of the Empire style is also analyzed as a means that Napoleon's regime used in France and Europe for its representation by art.
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Book Review
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Book Review
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Book Review
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Book Review
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Book Review
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Book Review
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Book Review
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Book Review
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In 2020, two hundred years passed since the internationally and politically significant event which took place in Opava (Troppau) from October 20 to December 24, 1820 and entered in European history as the Congress of Troppau (Opava). Its... more
In 2020, two hundred years passed since the internationally and politically significant event which took place in Opava (Troppau) from October 20 to December 24, 1820 and entered in European history as the Congress of Troppau (Opava). Its reminder in the form of exhibition including an accompanying book is the result of cooperation between the Silesian University in Opava, the Silesian Museum, the Provincial Archive in Opava, the Opava Cultural Organization and the National Heritage Institute. The aim of the cooperation of these organizations is to present and professionally evaluate the facts and heritage of the Opava Congress, as well as the political and cultural context of the time in which this historical event took place. The focus is on the personalities, course and international political context of the Opava Congress. The broad-spectrum project conceived in this way offers a plastic picture of the "Opava episode" of the European congress system and its European significance. With the intention of commemorating the bicentennial of this historic event, Opava is once again becoming an imaginary crossroads at which the paths of European diplomacy meet to decide on the direction of a common European idea and policy. The exhibition takes place from October 21, 1820 to March 14, 2021 in the Municipal House in Opava, the Czech Republic.
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The publication maps the new exposition "Enchanted by Antiquity" (open to the public in June 2016 at the Duchcov Château), enriched with a number of impressive photographs from the exposition and period pictorial sources illustrating the... more
The publication maps the new exposition "Enchanted by Antiquity" (open to the public in June 2016 at the Duchcov Château), enriched with a number of impressive photographs from the exposition and period pictorial sources illustrating the intertwining of the world of antiquity and the Baroque château. The team of authors, composed of experts from the National Heritage Institute and the Institute for Classical Archeology of the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, participated in the preparation (PhDr. Marian Hochel, Ph.D., PhDr. Olga Klapetková, PhDr. Eva Lukášová, doc. PhDr. Peter Pavúk, Ph.D., Mgr. Lenka Vacinová). The exposition guide focuses on the collection of castings of ancient sculpture exhibited in eight halls of the exposition on the ground floor of the southern wing of the Duchcov (Dux) Château, selected mythological figures and stories, the issue of rediscovering antiquity and the history of collecting ancient monuments. Mentioned are ancient inspirations in the château theaters and the Grand Tour, the journey of aristocratic travelers to the monuments of the ancient world. You can read not only about places of wandering, about ancient inspirations in aristocratic portrait tradition, but also about selected collectors and travelers enchanted by antiquity. The intertwining of the world of antiquity and the Baroque château is set in the context of the Baroque complex of the Duchcov Château, the famous residence of the Wallenstein (Waldstein) family.
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The Thirteenth Chamber of Napoleon exhibition was held at the Duchcov [Dux] Château from August 23 to October 28, 2013 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Chlumec [Kulm] and the Napoleonic Wars in Northern Bohemia... more
The Thirteenth Chamber of Napoleon exhibition was held at the Duchcov [Dux] Château from August 23 to October 28, 2013 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Chlumec [Kulm] and the Napoleonic Wars in Northern Bohemia (1813–2013). Temporary exhibition presented a collection of Napoleonics [Napoleonic memorabilia, objets napoléoniens], i.e. artefacts with a reference to the iconography of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Napoleonic Wars, from the collections of the National Heritage Institute and other partner organizations in the Czech Republic. The main personalities and events with the emphasis on the war campaigns of the last years of the French Emperor Napoleon I were presented here. Among other exhibits, Napoleon's personal belongings - gloves decorated with embroidery with motifs of imperial symbolism, a cockade from the Battle of Aspern, a letter signed by General Bonaparte from the first Italian campaign, the saber of Napoleon's imperial guard, Prince Metternich's walking stick and many other curiosities were exhibited. On the occasion of the inauguration of the exhibition, a commemorative poem “Homage to Emperor Napoleon I and Empress Marie Louise” composed on the occasion of their marriage in 1810 was interpreted. The musical notation of this poem in the original was also presented at the exhibition.