Schools of Eastern Central Europe II (Cent. Europ. Sc. IV)

The previous project "Ostmitteleuropäische Schulen I, II" set two tasks: task 1. Research and finalisation of the first volume on illuminated Eastern Central European Manuscripts (equals "Mitteleuropäische Schulen III") held by the Austrian National Library, dating from about 1350 - 1400. A survey on average monasterial and universitarian bookproduction in Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, and Hungary will be published within this volume- excluding the royal commissions. (Manuscript was submitted to the FWF on Sept. 27th 2002) task 2. Print supervision (volume I) and begin of research for volume II, comprising the precious, highly representative manuscripts, which were made for emperor Venceslas IV., as well as high quality - but less illuminated and therefore less known - manuscripts for his court. The follow-up project "Ostmitteleuropäische Schulen II" (equals "Central European Schools IV") aims to finalise the cataloguing of the royal manuscripts and to publish them according to the latest research. High interest in king Venceslas` bible - also stimulated by the edition of a facsimile - understandably dominated art historical discussion, however, this catalogue will give opportunity to take a close look at all royal manuscripts held by the Austrian National Library (which are unlikely to be facsimilated), pointing out their characteristics as well as their commons. The text-volume will comprise detailed information on all illuminators and workshops working for the king and his court (stylistic proveniance, complete list of works and attributions, contacts within), on history and contents of each manuscript (including iconographic topics, complete lists as well as short descriptions of miniatures), on specific literature, and furthermore on the masters of the filigranes, who also worked on highest level - very often closely together with certain illuminators. Manuscripts with miniatures and/or filigrane-decorations of these workshops can be affiliated and complete the survey. - The tables-volume shall take in consideration that the miniatures of some manuscripts are already extensively published whereas others are strongly underrepresented, such as the "Willehalm"-codex (s.n.2643), the oldest known codex dedicated to the emperor in 1387 and illuminated with over 250 miniatures, or the "Book of Astronomy" (cod. 2352 - challenging not only from the artistic, but also from the iconographic point of view), and other manuscripts of the royal workshops, which are unknown even to the expert.

The project was dedicated to the scientific revelation of the richly illuminated manuscripts, which were produced for king Wenceslas IV. of Luxemburg and his court during the last decades of the 14th century. Due to dynastic relationship between the Luxemburg and the Habsburg families, the most precious king`s manuscripts were inherited to Albrecht II. of Austria (1438-1439) in the 15th century and are now held by the Austrian National Library in Vienna (ÖNB). Wenceslas` residential town Prague ranked among the most important centers of book production, comparable with other European centers in Italy and France; it therefore played a highly influential role in the spreading of the so- called "international" or "beautiful" style in Europe around 1400. In most of the cases it is not the text, but the style of book-decoration itself, that undoubtedly points to a close connection with the king`s court. In order to make the reader familiar with the courtly style in detail, the text- volume of the catalogue comprises information on all illuminators working for the king, on their collaboration, on the masters of the filigree penwork, who also worked very often closely together with certain illuminators, on provenience and contents of each manuscript, and furthermore on specific literature. The tables-volume takes in consideration, that the miniatures of some manuscripts have already been extensively published, whereas others remained strongly underrepresented, but nonetheless are challenging from the artistic as well as from the iconographic point of view. Up to now, scientific interest in the king`s German bible ("Wenzelsbibel") - also stimulated by the edition of a facsimile - dominated art historical discussion. The smaller commissions however, breviaries and other theological writings found in the depots of the ÖNB, not only are unknown to the scientific community, they add to the picture we gained by investigating the extensive miniature cycles for the king and also give insight into the political, monastic and social network of the Prague court. Therefore this catalogue aims to give opportunity to take a closer look at all courtly manuscripts held by the ÖNB and introduce them to the scientific public. Therefore, apart from the most famous codices like the mentioned bible (cod. 2759-2764), the book of astronomy (cod. 2352), the golden bulla (cod. 338), the Willehalm-epic (ser. n. 2643), and a commentary on the letters of St. Paul (cod. 2789), there will be many other affiliated codices from the liebraries` depots published in this catalogue for the first time.