Senieji Lietuvos kunigaikščių portretai : 1601 metų raritetas

Abstract

The Renaissance courts were famous not only for their picture galleries and the Kunstkammer type of museums with various curiuosities but also for mag- nificent collections of armour. At the beginning of the 20th century a collection of armour could still be found in Nesvyžius Castle, yet soon it was dismantled of Europe and America. Especially famous in the past was a huge collection of armour at Ambras Castle that belonged to Ferdinand, Count of Tirol. He did not limit his interests to collecting armour of numerous sovereigns, dukes and famous military leaders. Ferdinand also endeavoured to publish a collection of portraits of famous people of that time wearing armour that was kept in the castle. The biographies of these nobles were also pro- vided. G. B. Fontana drew full height identical por- traits based on original portraits sent to Ferdinand. D. Custos engraved them. In 1601, after Ferdinand’s death, this wonderful book of 125 portraits was published at Agricola’s printing-house and dedicated to Emperor Rudolf II and Philip III, King of Spain, by Ferdinand’s secretary Jacob Schrenkh von Nozingen. Thus, the book has a German name - Heldenbuch - and is often mentioned alongside Schrenkh’s name. Of greatest interest for us in the book that be- longs to Domininkas Akstinas (Kaunas collection) are the portraits of Stephen Bathory, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland, and three titled dukes, members of the Radvilas family. These are Nicholas Radvila the Black (1515-1565), his cousin Nicholas Radvila the Red (1512-1584), and his son Nicholas Christopher Radvila the Orphan (1549- 1616), known for his book ”A Trip to Jerusalem”. The fact that, apart from Stephen Bathory, three more portraits of Lithuanian nobles were included into the book show the importance of Lithuania in the cultural and political life of Europe at that time. Portraits of sovereigns closely connected with the Jogaila dynasty also attest its significance. One can learn about the exhibits of Ambras Castle from D. Custos engravings or get acquainted with the authentic armour which is kept in Vienna armour collection called ’’Waffensammlung”. Reading Schrenkh’s book and learning about the armour of our nobles which is a valuable part of many collections of foreign museums, we may draw the conclusion that the popular slogan calling us to join Western Europe should be replaced by another - to return to it.