Mayer, Wenzel Joseph (Václav Josef)
1734 – 1800

Historische Beschreibung der vom Anton Maulbertsch… am Biblio­thekgewölbe der königlichen Prämonstratenserordens-Kanonie, am Berge Sion zu Prag, im Jahre 1794, in einem zusammenhangen­den Platfond in Fresko dargestellten Kalkmahlerey.

Prague, Barbara Elsenwanger for Anton Petzold, 1797

quarto (253 × 205 mm), (21) ff. signed (A)–E⁴ F1 and pagi­nated (16) 1–26 with a view of the library signed Jo. Berka del et sc. Pragae imposed on A2 recto (verso blank), plus engraved dedication to the Holy Roman emperor Francis ii subscribed by the author (signed by the engraver Johann Berka and inserted after folio B4; verso blank).

provenance Hartung & Hartung, Auktion 101, Munich, 16 May 2001, lot 1447

Lower margin of title-page renewed using old paper, other­wise a fine copy.

binding contemporary calf, gilt border on covers, back deco­rated in gilt.

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A description of the painted decoration of the so-called ‘philosophy library’ of Strahovský Klášter, the Premonstratensian monastery on the Petřín hill in Prague, written by its Abbot (1776–1800), who had contracted the work in 1793.

The ‘philosophy library’ had been built 1782–1785 (according to designs by the architect Jan Ignác Palliardi) to accommodate the books of the Premonstratensian monastery at Znojmo (near Louka, in Southern Moravia), dissolved by edict of Joseph ii in 1784.¹ It adjoined the ‘theology library’, built 1671–1672, and also deceptively named, as both libraries housed books on a very wide range of subjects.²

The principal engraving in our book is a view of the hall (32m long, 10m wide, 14m high) showing its imposing walnut bookcases (made by Jan Lahofer of Tasovice and transferred from Znojmo to Prague in 1792, together with their valuable contents) and a portion of the ceiling, painted in 1794 by Franz Anton Maulbertsch assisted by Martin Michl. An ‘Allegory on the Revelation of Divine Wisdom’, it is the painter’s last important project (he died in Vienna, 8 August 1796).³ Maulbertsch was the author of a very large number of fresco paintings (including the ceiling of the library at Znojmo, painted in 1778) and is regarded as one of the major artistic personalities active in Central Europe of his generation. This work in consequence is closely studied by historians of central European art.⁴

An edition in Latin, entitled Historico-Philosophica descriptio picturae novae bibliothecae Fornici inductae in Canonia Strahoviensi, was also published by Petzold in 1797.

This German version is a scarce book. Eight copies are known to the writer (a copy once in the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich, is reported lost)

● Brno, Moravská zemská knihovna Brno, ST2-0096.98 ● Cambridge, University Library⁵ ● Dresden, Sächsische Landesbibliothek – Staats- und Universitätsbiblio­thek, Bibl. publ. 293⁶ ● Gottingen, Niedersächsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek, 7 H L L 9, 7406⁷ ● Kremsmünster, Stift Kremsmünster, 4°Ga 147 ● London, British Library, 11902.dd.10 ● Stockholm, Kungliga biblioteket, 161 C 4 ● Weimar, Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek, 103994 - B

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