The Master of the Trebon Altarpiece by Jan Royt (review)

Author Jan Royt approaches the altarpiece of Trebon with sensitivity and caution, as little is known about the master painter. What is certain is that the Archbishop of Prague Jan of Jenstejn is intimately intertwined with both the Trebon Altarpiece and the Madonna of Roudnice; this relationship is explored throughout as the Archbishop commissioned it. The bright colors of the panel are intended to invoke Neoplatonic theology, a spiritual concept that would have appealed to Jan of Jenstejn. Royt draws upon the socio-cultural conditions, historical religious context, and other artworks that were prevalent during the late fourteenth century to arrive at a greater understanding of the work itself.

The first part of the book outlines the history of the Bohemian court under King Charles the IV and his son Wenceslas. King Charles had art serve as a state tool, while amassing an impressive collection of relics. Two years after King Charles’s death, the archbishop of Prague, Jan Ocko of Vlasim passed away, allowing for the ascension of his nephew, Jan of Jenstejn. At this time, there was the Papal Schism. The French sent envoys to Prague to convince King Wesceslas IV of the validity of papal succession to Pope Clement VII, which culminated in Wesceslas IV refusing to go to the coronation ceremony. This caused King Wesceslas IV to fall into dispute with Jan of Jenstejn. This animosity reached a fever point with the murder of Vicar General Jan of Nepomuk. King Wesceslas would later be imprisoned after King Sigismund invaded Bohemia. Royt then shows French paintings that heavily affected the courtly style found in the West. The Beautiful Madonna and Pieta with Angels paintings found in the Chartres Cathedral and Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry were important to popularizing the motif of devotional nature. Royt offers in depth commentaries on such works as Jean Malouel’s Large Pieta and Melchoir Broederlam’s Visitation and Presentation in the Temple—Flight to Egypt.

In part two, Royt explores possible sources of panel paintings from 1340 to 1380, from which the Trebon master drew inspiration. Royt elaborates on the stylistic changes from linear style to the imperial style. There is an intense scholarly debate as to why this shift in Bohemian art is happening, and Royt discusses the various theories throughout the chapter. Royt accompanies this with visuals depicting the development of the panel painting from the naturalistically plump figures seen in Madonna Between St. Catherine and St. Margaret (1360), Master Theodoric’s St. Charlemagne (1365), and Prague frescoes like the Baptism of St. Odile (1367) to the Theodoric monumentalizing style found in Emmaus Crucifixion (1360s), then finally to the regal and elongated figures depicted around 1370s, in works like Votive Painting of Jan Ocko of Vlasim (1371).

Part three continues at length discussing the flourishing of the cult of painting found in Bohemia. The Church’s paintings served an important role in helping a supplicant pray. It is in the spirit of “Scripture of Laymen” that the ecclesiastic buildings are adorned with altarpieces and paintings. “Let the church be adorned with paintings only as a caution against demons” (81). Some within the ecclesiastical community disapproved like Matej of Janov. But many Christians and those within the monastic community argued that the paintings allowed for the veneration of Christ and mediation from which miracles could be produced through prayer and meditation. The iconoclasts were temporarily stalled. Royt concludes the chapter with the observation that the debates over art within the confines of Church were hardly done as reformers were quick to target art they viewed as overly sensual. Matej argued that the statues of St. Catherine might inspire lust rather than pure thoughts, to which Neidhart von Reuental cheekily argued that there were more obscene images to decry, like “people painting Trojan warfare instead of Christ’s passion” (89).

In part four, Royt delves into the finer points of the reconstruction in Trebon Altarpiece and the other works of...