|
DINING ROOM
 The room is dominated by two beautiful Baroque escritoires with small veduttas inlaid with tortoiseshell and carved gilded ornaments from Antwerp from the 17th century - similar ones were made for example in the Rubens’s workshop. The two lunettes from St. Wenceslas’ lunettes cycle by Karel Škréta which were painted in his workshop around 1641 for the Augustinian Monastery in Prague “At Zderaza”. In 1785 after the monastery had been dissolved by Joseph II, August Anton Eusebius Lobkowicz bought seven of the lunettes for his family collections. One picture depicts the priest Hostivod who according to a legend longed for the remains of Saint Wenceslas. After the saint body was transported to Prague he catches his finger into white veil. The other lunette features Prince Radslav of Zlice submitting himself to Saint Wenceslas .The picture under the lunette called “The Fight on Ponte Rialto during gondola races on Canale Grande” is by the painter George Heinsche junior and is influenced by Venetian style of painting of the 17th century. Next to it there is a portrait of Francis Lobkowicz in a Knight of holy order clothing. Francis Lobkowicz had merit in the development of the vineyards in Mělník and together with his sister Helena they supported the Hospital of Boromean Sisters located in Prague, “Pod Petřínem”. On th e other side of the room entrance there is a portrait of Prince George Christian Lobkowicz, the field marshal to the Emperor Marie Theresa. On the opposite wall there is another masterpiece from the Mělník collection: the dramatic composition of David with Goliath’s head approximately from 1720 is also one of Peter Brandl’s greatest works. The biblical scene called “Eliezer meets Rebecca” is ascribed to the Italian painter Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Guercino.
By the entrance door The drawn miniature portraits of August Longin and his brothers and sisters are by George Bergler, the first rector at the Academy of art and sculpture in Prague. He was a close friend of the chancellor’s father Anton Isidor and he made several portraits of him and his family. The big golden mirrors are Barroque
next room...
13.08.2005
|
|
