Zbožnost, účelnost, reprezentace

The book deals with a uniquely preserved collection of pictorial and written archival materials from the period 1662-1788, concerning the interior furnishings of churches in the Schwarzenberg estates, mainly in southern (rarely in Central and Northwestern) Bohemia. In one case, the materials concern a church in Turrach, Styria. Rich sources allow detailed monitoring of procedures for the acquisition of individual pieces and larger sets of church furniture, reveal the mechanisms and hierarchy of decisions on patronage contracts and demonstrate the complexity of communication and the share of individuals. The exceptionally well-preserved ensemble contains altar designs accompanied by extensive correspondence between artists and craftsmen, parish administrators, princely officials and statements of the nobles themselves. The designs are often preserved in several variants and from various creators, with notes and comments, with the aid of which it is possible to follow the development and gradual formation of the idea through to ​​the final form of the work. The number of accompanying sources provides an insight into the careful performance of the nobility's patronage and its internal communication. Other important sources for understanding contemporary ideas about the form of the temple space are building plans, inventories of temple furniture and especially contracts concluded between the nobility (represented by the relevant officials) and artists and craftsmen.