From Family Members and Political Allies: The Portrait Collection of Margaret of Austria by Dagmar Eichberger and Lisa Beaven, published in The Art Bulletin, Vol. 77, No. 2, June 1995.
Busts of Margaret of Austria and Philibert of Savoy found in Czechia
Photos by: Národní památkový ústav
I am very excited to give you wonderful news from my country. In Sychrov Castle(actually it is more of Chateau), they found busts which were lost from 1569.
Read further to know more.
I will put in link to the article to end of the post, but most of you can't speak czech, so I will give you brief summary.
The bust were found to be work of renaissance sculptor Conrad Meit, made in years 1512-1517. It is one of his few surviving works made of white marble. They were comissioned by Margaret herself, Meit was invited to her court in 1512. After her death they went to her family but were thought to be sold in late 16th century, only sporadically appearing in records for example in 1782 some marble bust which seem to match were sold in so called Josephine's auction.
But nobody being able to track them down.
We know now, that they were bought at beginning of 18th century by Kristián Kryštof Clam-Gallas, czech nobleman who put them to his seat at Frýdlant castle and later it somehow moved to Sychrov Castle.
(In Czechia inventory move between state-owned historical properties is extremely common, especially during comunist era it shuffled at a lot. But now the tendency is to return inventory to where it belonged originally. If there is capacity for it. Sometimes it stays elsewhere as part of exhibition with some theme, or because other castle is in better condition and thus safer for the inventory piece.)
In 1986 Margaret's bust was correctly identified as her by castelan of the Sychrov Castle Miloš Kadlec alongside Jaromír Homolka, proffesort of art history At Charles University.
Due to resemblence to portrait of Margaret by Bernard van Orley, probably the one where she has same outfit.
But they didn't know who the man was. He was nicknamed Petrarca or unknown man and thought to be 19th century work.
But recent research of Národní památkový ústav (National Monument Institute, Czechia) sought out to solve the mystery in project Ad unicum.
They contacted foreign specialist in work of Conrad Meit-Jens Ludwig Burk from Bavorian National Museum
and specialist upon artwork of court of Margaret of Austria
Dagmar Eichberger from University in Heidelbergu.
And it was confirmed that identification as Margaret is correct and revealed that the man is her 2nd husband.
Both statues has been carefully restored(to look their best) and shall be exhibited from 2025 in Frýdlant.
And I think it is well-fitting, not only because they return to place they are first recorded in Czechia, but also because that is complex made of medieval castle and renaissance style chateau.
Tell me, which pair of busts do you prefer?
These brown busts are also by Conrad Meit.
Link to original article:
Mramorové busty manželského páru Markéty Habsburské a Filiberta II. Savojského objevil výzkum Národního památkového ústavu (NPÚ) ve sbírkách
