Zprávy památkové péče 2014, 74(6):447-453

Countess Maria Antonia of Questenberk, née Kaunitz, and her influence on the fate of the mobiliary of the castle in Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou

Lucie Bláhová, Jana Petrová

The castle complex in Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou was rebuilt and enlarged according to the principles of Baroque architecture and was promoted to the status of residential seat of Count Jan Adam of Questenberk. He established Jaroměřice as a major center of cultural and musical life during the first half of the 18th century. The Jaroměřice Castle experienced its zenith at the time, and this of course is reflected in its interior mobiliary. The Baroque, and later Rococo, styles gave the castle interiors their unmistakable appearance whose surviving fragments still captivate us with their sense of balance, artistic sentiment, and perfect craftsmanship. The extant castle inventories provide us with a fairly clear idea of how individual castle areas looked and what purposes they served. It is clear that the interiors changed their form and function with each new owner, so their lives had an inherent effect on the preservation of the mobiliary collections. After the death of Count Jan Adam of Questenberk, the castle lost its representative function and was used more as a second-class country house for the Kaunitz family. Throughout later historical periods, the castle underwent a series of devastating changes, and its interiors were damaged as well. According to historical sources, it is clear that this process was begun as early as under widowed second wife of Count Jan Adam, Maria Antonia of Questenberk, née Kaunitz.

Keywords: castle in Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou, Countess Maria Antonia of Questenberk, mobiliary, inventory

Published: December 1, 2014  Show citation