Statues - Hither & Thither

 

Description

Series of statues of saints and monarchs on the terrace in front of the Jesuit College along on Barborská Street leading to St Barbara's Cathedral. The original 12 sculptures were created by František Baugut between 1703 and 1716; the later added statue of John of Nepomuk is from an unknown sculptor.

The ensemble was conceived as a Kutná Hora counterpart to the sculptural decoration of Prague's Charles Bridge, which was being created at the same time and was also promoted by the Jesuits. The central theme is formed by saintly rulers and defenders of the Catholic faith, with St Wenceslaus, flanked by St Ludmila and St Vitus, at the centre. Ferdinand III of Castile and Charlemagne complete this group. They are interspersed with Jesuit saints, notably St Ignatius of Loyola, St Francis Xavier, St Aloysius Gonzaga and St Francis Borgia.
Other statues represent saints associated with the everyday concerns of the inhabitants: St Isidore as protector of farmers, St Joseph as a model of foster care, St Anne as patroness of the family, and St Florian as protector against fire. Finally, after 1740, St John of Nepomuk was added as the newly established Bohemian patron saint.

The chronograms on the pedestals record the dates of the sculptures and sometimes their patrons. The programme thus combines Bohemian and Jesuit saints with protectors of the city and its inhabitants, while consciously echoing the contemporary sculpture programme of the Charles Bridge.

Ferdinand III of Castile and St Aloysius Gonzaga have traditionally been identified as St Louis IX of France and St Joseph Calasanz respectively (a.o. Altová 2009); later art-historical research, notably Petra Oulíková (2011), has reidentified them.

Saint John of Nepomuk

The saint stands on a cloud, with two little angels seated at his feet; one is holding a book with a biretta, whilst the other has a finger to his lips as a sign of silence.
This statue was added to the group in the 1730s, after the beatification of John of Nepomuk.

Saint Barbara

Barbora stands on top of two reclining figures: her father and an allegorical figure with a scarf over her eyes. In her right hand she holds a chalice, whilst her left hand rests on the top of the tower. Two angels holding shields stand beside the plinth; on the plinth itself is the coat of arms of the Švihovský family of Rýzmberk.

Saint Ferdinand III of Castile

He stands on the plinth, wearing royal insignia (holding a sceptre and an orb, with a crown on his head) and clad in armour. At his feet sit two Saracen captives with drums, cannons and banners. Flanking the plinth are two-part pyramids topped with the heads of Saracens. On the plinth is the coat of arms of the Robmhap family of Suchá.

Saint Isidore the Laborer

Spanish farmworker known for his piety toward the poor and animals. He is the Catholic patron saint of farmers (Wikipedia).
The saint is leaning on a spade. At his feet are two small angels holding a peasant’s hat and a ploughshare; two angels bearing shields stand at the sides of the plinth. On the plinth is the coat of arms of the Obytecký family of Obytec. In 1636, Litmír František Obytecký of Obytec transferred all his property rights to the land in question to the Jesuit college in Kutná Hora.

Saint Joseph with Jesus

Magno ChrIstI nVtrIcIo aC DeIparæ sponso To the great foster-father of Christ and spouse of the God-Bearer Imperfect chronogram for 1710 The real year is 1810, but the 'c' in Nutricio is not in gold and thus not counted.

Joseph is holding the infant Jesus in his arms. At his feet are two little angels, and standing beside the plinth are two angels holding shields. One of the little angels is holding an axe, and there are other carpenter’s tools at their feet. On the plinth is a chronogram.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola

MagnI soCIe tatIs patrIar Chæ et fVnDa torIs To the great Society's superior and founder Chronogram for 1710.

Ignatius of Loyola stands dressed in a chasuble, with little angels at his feet holding a book, a biretta, a veil and a helmet. Flanking the plinth are two crowned women holding cornucopias; one of them is also holding a censer. On the plinth is a chronogram.

Saint Wenceslas

Overview of the Saint Wenceslas sculpture group
Overview of the Saint Wenceslas sculpture group with the St. James' church in the background	St. Wencelas with the two angels bearing shields with resp. the Palladium of Stará Boleslav and the the Přemyslid eagle

Left angel with depiction of St. Cosmas or St. Damianus

Saint Vitus

Saint Ludmilla

Right angel with depiction of St. Cosmas or St. Damianus

The murder of Wenceslaus at the gate of the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Stará Boleslav

DIVo BoheMIæ Vte LarI pII CLIen tes d.d.d. To the divine patron of Bohemia, the pious devotees dedicate this. Chronogram for 1716. The 'B' has no numerical value in Latin.

At the top of the sculpture stands Saint Wenceslas, wearing a princely crown and holding a banner in his left hand. A lion lies at his feet, and two angels stand on either side of him bearing shields with resp. the Palladium of Stará Boleslav and the the Přemyslid eagle. Flanking the plinth are Saint Vitus and Saint Ludmila. At some distance from Saint Václav are statues of angels with shields bearing resp. the Palladium of Stará Boleslav and the the Přemyslid eagle.
The relief shows Wenceslaus' murder at the gate of the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Stará Boleslav. On a few meters distance from the Wenceslas group are two angels bearing shield with the depictions of Cosmas and Damian. Above this relief is a chronogram.

Saint Francis Xavier

		SpIrItV prophetæ In Carne angeLo CoLLegII VrbisqVe KVtnen sIs VteraLI DIVo Fran CIsCo XaVe rIo InDIæ IaponIæ aposto Lo ponet DeVo tI MeCæ natIs LIbe raLI tas In spirit a prophet in the flesh an angel of the college and the city of Kutná Hora protector To the divine Franciscus Xaverius India and Japan's apostle Erected by a devoted patron's genero- sity The left and central chronogram are together 1709, the left is 1709 on its own. The 'S' and 'K' have no numerical value in Latin.

At the feet of Saint Francis sit four children, holding a hat, an open book and a crucifix. Flanking the plinth are two personifications of India and Japan.

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

Saint Florian

KV ttenber gensIs pa trIæ Do MestICa ponIt LIbera LItas gLorIoso MartyrI DIVo fLorIano Contra Ignes potentI patrono et aD DICta VICInIæ aDsItæ pIetas Kutná Hora's generosity native fatherland, placed [this]. To the glorious martyr the divine Florian, powerful patron against fires and may the piety of the adjoining neighbour- hood be present All three chronograms are for 1711.

Florian is holding a bucket of water, which he is using to put out the fire in the house standing at his feet. Two little angels stand on either side of the house; one is helping to put out the fire, whilst the other is holding a millstone. Angels bearing shields with chronograms stand at the sides of the plinth.

Saint Francis Borgia

Standing alongside the saint, who is clad in the habit of the Jesuit Order, are two angels. At his feet lie a cardinal’s hat and a crown. In the centre of the plinth is a skull; there are also skulls at the tops of the two-part pyramids on either side of the plinth.

Saint Anne

sanCtæ annæ Magnæ VIrgInIs foe CVnDæ parentI To Saint Anne mother of the great and fruitful Virgin Chronogram for 1714 .

Saint Anne is depicted with a small figure of the Virgin Mary. Little angels are at their feet, and two angels holding shields stand on either side of the plinth.

Charlemagne

DIVo CaroLn sVperna et terrestri gLorIa Magno To the divine Charles the Great in heavenly and earthly glory Chronogram for 1713.

Charlemagne wears a crown on his head and holds a sceptre and the royal orb in his hands. At his feet lie a helmet, and on either side are banners, drums and a cannon. Two angels holding shields stand on either side of the plinth.

Artist

• František Baugut (Stráž pod Ralskem 1668 - Jihlava 1726), Czech Jesuit, sculptor, woodcarver, joiner, as well as an architect (Wikipedia)

Sources & Information

• Památkový katalog, kolej jezuitská.
• Wikipedia, Sousoší světců na terase před jezuitskou kolejí v Kutné Hoře.
• Petra Oulíková, “Galerie světců před jezuitskou kolejí v Kutné Hoře a její donátoři” . In: Jindřich Záhorka (ed.): Jezuitská kolej v Kutné Hoře. Stavba – dějiny – umělecká výzdoba. Kutná Hora GASK (Památky pro život) 2011, p. 45–77.
• Blanka Altová, 'Město Kutná Hora jako český barokní prostor?: Konkretizace obrazu Kutné hory jako českého prostoru v době baroka v urbanistické koncepci města, ve výtvarném umění a v Kořínkových starých pamětech kutnohorských.' Lidé města 11 (2009), 1, p. 3-68, there pp. 57-60 ((online).
• Ondřej Seifert & Naděžda Mottlová, Kutnohorské sochy světců. Kutná Hora, 2014 (PDF online, archived).
• Kutná Hora: Závěrečná Zpráva Programu regenerace MPR a MPZ za rok 2017, ((online).

Tags

Location (N 49°56'46" - E 15°15'51") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

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