Collecting and Identity. Meanings and Interpretations
KapitolaBetween Piety and Earthly Pleasure: The Inventory of the Torgau Residence of the Electors of Saxony
Rok vydání: 2026https://doi.org/10.5817/CZ.MUNI.P280-0874-2026-2
Abstrakt
The paper examines the art collection of the Electors of Saxony through the inventory of Hartenfels Castle in Torgau compiled in 1546. Moving beyond the traditional interpretation of the Saxon rulers as champions of Protestantism, the study explores the coexistence of religious devotion and secular courtly culture. Particular attention is devoted to paintings depicting mythological and erotic subjects, especially female nudes associated with the workshop of Lucas Cranach the Elder. By analysing their placement within the residential spaces of the castle and their moral and symbolic meanings, the chapter reveals the complexity of the Electors’ identity as collectors. It argues that the collection reflected not only confessional values but also aristocratic ideals, aesthetic interests, and contemporary concepts of virtue and pleasure, thereby challenging one-dimensional interpretations of Protestant collecting culture.
Klíčová slova
Electors of Saxony, Torgau Castle, Lucas Cranach the Elder, collecting, identity