The Legacy of the Rudolfine Collection
Within the walls of the Prague Castle, the Picture Gallery holds a lineage of art that traces back to the reign of Rudolf II. This collection, the oldest continuously existing of its kind in the Czech Republic, grew significantly during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. By 1612, the holdings had expanded to over 3,000 works. The history of these paintings is one of movement and survival, having been relocated to Vienna during the Thirty Years' War and later subject to the movements of Swedish troops. Today, the exhibition presents a selection of over 100 paintings that reflect the tastes and acquisitions of the Holy Roman Emperor and his successors.
The current arrangement of the gallery follows a logic of schools, allowing the viewer to encounter the specificities of different artistic traditions. The spaces, once part of the original stables under the Spanish Hall, were later redesigned by Bořek Šípek to accommodate the weight of this history. The atmosphere is one of quiet permanence, where the presence of the works is felt through their historical weight and the specific light of the Prague Castle courtyard.
Notable Works and Artists
The collection contains works that define the transition of European painting through the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The presence of these specific canvases offers a direct connection to the era of the Rudolfine masters. Notable pieces include:
- The Ill-Matched Lovers (1531) by Lucas Cranach the Elder
- Prague Altarpiece [central panel, fragment]: St Catherine and St Barbara with fragments of the figures of St Dorothea and St Margaret (1520) by Lucas Cranach the Elder
- The Gathering of the Gods on Olympus (1602) by Peter Paul Rubens
- Raising Lazarus (1530) by Il Pordenone
The Physical Presence of Art
Walking through the gallery, one encounters the specific textures of the masters. The works of Titian, Veronese, and Hans von Aachen are part of the broader context that defines this space. The gallery is not merely a repository but a site where the history of the Habsburgs and the shifting borders of Europe are etched into the very selection of the paintings. The exhibition remains a vital part of the castle's identity, offering a view into a collection that has survived centuries of conflict and relocation to remain a central part of the Czech Republic's artistic landscape.
