Theodoric's magnum opus is a collection of panel paintings and wall paintings that were done on the commission of Charles IV for the Chapel of the Holy Cross at
Karlštejn. Altogether, there are 129 works, all of saints, prophets, or angels. The
National Gallery in Prague stated that they have "only few equals in the world: we believe that it is no exaggeration to say that they bear comparison with such artistic monuments and phenomena as the Arena in
Padua, the churches at
Assisi or
Sta. Croce in
Florence and the
palace of the popes in
Avignon." Known for his bold and vigorous style, he is seen as a central figure in the development of Bohemian art. Like many other Gothic painters, he used very bright, attention-grabbing colours and bold lines. He painted powerful figures in small frames, conveying a sense of monumentality to the viewer. Famous for his use of light and reflection, he created the illusion of endless space in his work by allowing light to travel beyond the frame. Art historians have disagreed on several aspects of Theodoric's career. One historian noted that Theodoric was a "unique phenomenon" whose works could not be explained by stylistic evolution, as there were no precedents for his artwork, suggesting that he may have been self-taught. Another scholar holds an opposite opinion—that he was influenced by both Italian and French contemporary art. Theodoric followed on from the work of his predecessor in the service of Charles IV, the
Master of the Luxembourg Genealogy, who painted the decoration of the imperial castle-palace at
Karlštejn and the 'relic scenes' in the
Chapel of the Virgin Mary between 1356 and 1357. This master was familiar with Franco-Flemish art of the 1350s and brought major innovations to mural painting in Bohemia. Several panel paintings ascribed to Theodoric's workshop repeat the typology of faces and patterns of movement in figures of the Genealogy. According to Homolka, two heavily damaged panel paintings of SS Peter and Paul from the
Chapel of the Holy Cross could have directly originated in the workshop of the Master of the Luxembourg Genealogy, since the technology of their foundation layers is more typical of mural painting and thus differs significantly from the other paintings. Theodoric's workshop carried out the unique overall decoration of the
Chapel of the Holy Cross at
Karlštejn Castle between 1360 and 1365. The chapel belongs to the tradition of lavishly decorated reliquary chapels that include the
emperor chapel in
Constantinople, the
Sancta Sanctorum in the
Lateran Palace, and the
Sainte Chapelle in Paris. The decoration comprises 129 (originally 130) panel paintings in four rows, portraying the half-length figures of male saints, female saints, and prophets who represented the '
Army of Heaven' guarding the relics kept in the chapel. Several of the picture frames had small openings into which reliquaries could be inserted. The depiction of the saints in the
Holy Cross Chapel was directly linked to the veneration of their relics. The presence of relics of the Passion perhaps served to guarantee that on his return, Christ would descend to the chapel. The pictures can be attributed to Theodoric on the basis of analysing the underdrawings and comparing the execution of the painting. The drawn designs of the compositions, details of the faces and drapery, as well as the overall completion of the most important portraits in the Chapel of the Holy Cross, were ascribed to Theodoric. Theodoric's brush drawing on the heads of the paintings is delicate and firm. On the draperies, it is strong and energetic and overlaps onto the frame. Study of the typology of the heads showed that the shape of the head and the details of the face (e.g. eyes, nose) are completely identical in a number of cases, as though they originated through tracing. However, some of the faces of saints captivate the viewer's attention with their prominent, seemingly individualized features and psychologized expressions, which anticipate portrait painting of the 15th century. The portrait of
St Luke the Evangelist might even be the self-portrait of Theodoric himself. Specialised craftsmen took care of a series of secondary tasks such as preparing the picture panels, the plastic decoration, and goldsmith's elements. There are no records of the painters employed at Theodoric's workshop; however, there must have been several of them judging by the scale of the commission and the short timeframe of execution, as well as by the ascertained types of underdrawings, confirmed by
infrared reflectography. Certain art historians even suppose that several masters and their workshop collaborators were involved. Theodoric's predecessor, the
Master of the Luxembourg Genealogy, in all likelihood created the drawn designs on the wall of the
Chapel of the Holy Cross. Theodoric presumably devised the concept of the entire chapel about 1360, establishing the composition and palette of all the paintings.
Master Bertram, who was later active in
Hamburg, evidently worked in Theodoric's workshop. The
Master of the Třeboň Altarpiece and the artist who painted the
Votive Panel of Jan Očko of Vlašim most probably also came out of Theodoric's workshop. In terms of its technology and composition, the mural painting of the Adoration of the Three Kings in the Saxon Chapel of
St Vitus Cathedral is similar to Theodoric's paintings. According to Homolka, the illuminators of the A2 and A3 Chapter House Bibles had much in common with Theodoric or else came out of his workshop. Although the
International Gothic "Soft style" had no direct successors, the context of the workshop itself influenced succeeding generations of Bohemian Gothic painters.
The technique of Theodoric's panel paintings The preparation of the panels (beechwood), including a double-layered siliceous and chalk base, is identical to practice in
France and
Germany but doesn't appear in
Italy. The preparatory black underdrawing in brush is linear and highly detailed in places. In the final painting, however, numerous divergences have been found, for example in the position of hands. The preparatory drawing is covered with a layer of oil-based lead white paint. This layer also reflects diffuse light falling on it through translucent lazure layers and shines through the uppermost parts of the drapery. The painting itself is executed in egg
tempera alternating with layers of oil. The oil base enabled both the arranging of contrasting colour layers and the gradual modelling of the volume. Theodoric's painting is characterised by laying down of semi-lazure layers with the help of the slow-drying oil (possibly walnut) base that enabled
wet-on-wet painting. It was necessary for other specialised artists, who created a complex system of decorations, to collaborate on the final form of the pictures. These included relief decoration of the background and frame of the pictures (
pastiglia), glued plastic decoration, small goldsmith's applications cast from tin and lead into moulds, the gilding of the background, and goldsmith's products such as small crosses attached to the panel with silver nails. File:Mistr Theodorik, Sv. Lukáš Evangelista, Národní galerie v Praze.jpg|
St Luke,
National Gallery Prague File:Mistr Theodorik, Sv. Matouš Evangelista, Národní galerie v Praze.jpg|alt=Matthew the Apostle, National Gallery Prague|
Saint Matthew the Evangelist,
National Gallery Prague File:Mistr Theodorik, Sv. Kateřina, Národní galerie v Praze.jpg|
Catherine of Alexandria,
National Gallery Prague File:Mistr Theodorik, Sv. Karel Veliký, Národní galerie v Praze.jpg|
Charlemagne,
National Gallery Prague File:Meister Theoderich von Prag 007.jpg|
Saint Louis IX of France File:Meister Theoderich von Prag 002.jpg|alt=St Jerome, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Karlštejn|
Saint Jerome, Chapel of the Holy Cross,
Karlštejn File:Theodoric of Prague - Saint Simon.jpg|alt=St Simon, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Karlštejn|
Saint Simon, Chapel of the Holy Cross,
Karlštejn File:Meister Theoderich von Prag 024.jpg|
Saint Maurice, Chapel of the Holy Cross,
Karlštejn File:Mistr Theodorik - Sv. Juda Tadeáš.jpg|alt=Jude the Apostle, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Karlštejn|
St Jude Thaddaeus, Chapel of the Holy Cross,
Karlštejn File:Meister Theoderich von Prag 001.jpg|
St Gregory,
National Gallery Prague Mural Paintings in the Chapel of the Holy Cross at Karlštejn Castle Mural paintings in the Chapel of the Holy Cross feature the apocalyptic prophecy—anticipation of the
Second Coming of Christ on
Judgment Day. The walls opposite each other on the vaults of the window niches of the chapel are ascribed to Master Theodoric and his workshop. The drapery of the figures is characterised by the soft modelling of light. With its muted colour tones, it has an affinity to the
grisaille painting method. The faces are closely related to several of Theodoric's panel paintings and repeatedly feature the characteristic motif of hair and whiskers coiled into individual strands. The painting is embellished with gilded relief decorations and the backgrounds of the scenes are filled out with gold plastic star shapes.
The apocalyptic God in a mandorla is surrounded by choirs of angels (the west niche) The painting's colour scheme is adapted to the opposite wall depicting the Adoration of the Twenty-four Old Men (twelve prophets and twelve apostles, or 24 world rulers) ascribed to the
Master of the Luxembourg Genealogy. The monumental painting of God is executed in grisaille. In his hand, God is holding seven stars and a book above which there hang seven candleholders.
The Annunciation to the Virgin Mary (north-east niche, north vault) With the high quality of its execution, the scene of the Annunciation has much in common with the most advanced techniques used in panel paintings by Theodoric's workshop (St Ambrose). Archangel Gabriel's wings are made from strips of tin sheet decorated with lazure painting and gilded plastic decoration. The space is deepened by polygonal Gothic architecture of a cathedral and by the Virgin Mary's diagonal reading stand.
The Adoration of the Three Kings (north-east niche, south vault) The largest and best-preserved painting depicts the
Holy Family in a hut with animals and three kings bearing gifts. The high artistic quality of the execution, the specific typology of the faces, and the painting style attest to Master Theodoric as the artist of this work. The painting is characterised above all by the careful execution of details (the figure of the Infant Christ, the strands of whiskers and hair, the woven wicker fence, the plastically executed royal crown, and fine gifts). The figure of the third king, considered to be a crypto-portrait of
Charles IV, is the earliest such appearance of a monarch in European art.
Christ meeting Mary Magdalene and Martha / The anointing of Christ in the home of Simon (south-east niche, north vault) The paintings are heavily damaged; however, the
chiaroscuro modelling of the clothes, the typology of the faces, and the execution of the hands have closely related counterparts in the panel paintings of Master Theodoric.
The Raising of Lazarus / Noli me tangere (south-east niche, south vault) The rich composition with its landscape scenery in the background is badly damaged; however, numerous similar formal analogies rank it alongside Master Theodoric's mural paintings in the Chapel of the Holy Cross. ==Notes==