Olomouc | July 3, 2015

They are tiny dimensions, but historically very valuable – two cycles of Baroque oil paintings on tin altars of the Church of Our Lady of the Snows in Olomouc, which from Tuesday, July 7, you can see in the Olomouc Archdiocesan Museum. The fate of 16 miniatures is sad. “Some were lost and some of the surviving not in good condition,” said art historian Simona Jemelková.

Two cycles of oil paintings from the years 1672 and 1682 by an unknown author are extremely valuable in terms of history Olomouc. They depict scenes from the life of St. Anne and St. Pauline – two saints, which are very important for the city. “St. Pauline, whose remains were brought to Olomouc in 1623 by the Jesuits, became the patroness of the city, a co- patroness of St. Wenceslas and protector against plague. St. Anna, mother of the Virgin Mary, in Olomouc particularly venerated saint, at the Church of Our Lady of the Snows was dedicated to her one of the most important religious brotherhoods then, “she said.

But for the Olomouc Patriots can be even more interesting, that some of the scenes take place in the baroque backdrop of the city. “For example, the plague procession to the St. Pauline against the background of important Olomouc buildings or pilgrimage to St. Anne in Stara Voda – these are extraordinary iconographic sources that realistically depict the former form of significant architectural monuments,” art historian enthusiastically described.

Small size significantly influenced the sad fate of the paintings. Not only that they be given a minimum professional care, which corresponds to the poor condition of some of them, but some were lost. “The loss concerns, unfortunately, the two most valuable iconographic images that depict a procession against the plague to the St. Pauline in 1623. Today, unfortunately, there are just copies from 1901 that arose for the former Museum of the City of Olomouc and today they are stored in the Museum of Natural History Olomouc,”she complained.

Another six miniatures, which removed the altar of conservationists in the 80s of the 20th century, when the church should be in accordance with the plans of communists deconsecrated and transformed into a gallery of baroque art, the experts also thought to be lost. “Recently, however, managed to find,” said Jemelková. Similarly, a good end was the fate of two other scenes that anonymous finder back until the early 90s of the 20th century Jemelková hopes to find even lost the remaining works that the exhibition will commemorate the empty frames. “It would be great if these very extraordinary manner cycles won back its original comprehensive in nature,” she concluded. Arms-exhibition in the hall of the Archdiocesan Museum runs until the end of the year.