Elegant Elbe: Prague 2c, Lobkowicz Palace (5/21/2018)

Monday, May 21, 2018 (continued)
After the Golden Lane, we crossed over to Lobkowicz Palace/Lobkovický Palác (1570, with most being a 17C reconstruction by Carlos Lurago for the Lobkowicz family who inherited it in 1627). It is the only privately-owned building in the castle complex. It was confiscated by the Nazis in 1939, held by the Communists until 1989, and finally in 2002 it was returned to the Lobkowicz family. After restoration and refurbishment, the palace was opened as a museum in 2007, with Boston investment banker William Lobkowicz narrating the audioguide.

A replica of the Infant of Prague

The wife of Vratislav of Pernštejn, who completed the building of the palace, brought the Infant of Prague statue from her homeland of Spain. Thought to have healing powers, the statue was later given to the Church of Our Lady Victorious in Prague by the daughter, Polyxena. Polyxena married the first Prince of Lobkowicz.

In this painting, Polyxena protects the Catholic Imperial Ministers,
who had been thrown out of the Royal Palace, from
further assault by the Protestant rebels in 1618

In addition to Meissen porcelain, the Lobkowicz collection
included this creamware from their own factory in Týnec nad Sázavou

12C Romanesque processional reliquary cross
in gilded copper with 30 crystal cabachons,
three of which contain relics

Artistic display of the identical 18C flintlock
rifles made for the Lobkowicz Militia;
most of the weapons collection was for hunting

A letter signed by Ludwig von Beethoven
acknowledging the receipt of his annual
stipend from the Lobkowicz family

Ludwig von Beethoven dedicated several symphonies, including the Third/Eroica, to the 7th Prince of Lobkowicz. It was the annual stipend that allowed Beethoven to compose without having to seek commissions or teaching jobs for income.

The arrangement (1789) of the Messiah (1741, by George Frideric Handel)
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with annotations by Mozart

Haymaking (1565, by Pieter Brueghel the Elder),
one of earliest entirely secular landscape paintings in Europe

London: The Thames on Lord Mayor's Day (1746-1747, by Canaletto)

The Bird Room

Each bird picture (circa 1800) is made with
the feathers of that species

The Dog Room

The Music Salon

The Chinese Belvedere (circa 1900)

Tamiko and Kent on the terrace (PBPeter)

17C Banqueting Hall with mythological
 frescoes by Fabian Harovnik,
now used as a concert venue

The Chapel

Next: Prague 2d.