Zprávy památkové péče 2015, 75(5):473-484

16th century prints in the Český Krumlov castle library. Contribution to the knowledge of changes in ownership

Pavel Hájek

The castle library in Český Krumlov is among the most important historical library collections preserved in the Czech Republic. The library was formed through the gradual accretion from the 17th to the 20th century. Its oldest part is the collection of Johann Jan Ulrich of Eggenberg, originally formed at the ancestral Eggenberg castle in Graz, Styria, in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The original Eggenberg collection was significantly expanded at the end of the 17th century by the wife of the last of the Lords of Eggenberg, Marie Ernestina née Schwarzenberg, who had the library collection bound into uniform white vellum bindings and fit the books with the ownership supralibros mark "ME". The development of the library collection continued throughout the 18th century with the contribution of the new owners of Krumlov castle, the Schwarzenbergs. In 1843-1844, the Krumlov library was associated with an older Schwarzenberg collection, formed at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries by Wilhelm Ferdinand Schwarzenberg in Vienna. By combining the Eggenberg and Schwarzenberg collections, the Český Krumlov library collection formed, containing more than 16,000 volumes. The scope and nature of the library inventory is captured in an inventory record from 1866. The library at that time was located in the Mirror Hall and shelves were made for it. In 1913-1914, the library was moved into two rooms called the Coat-of-arms room and the Runk parlor (now the Baroque dining room). The new organization of the library was the responsibility of archivist Karel Tannich, who also established a ticket-based name and factual catalog. The library was moved to its current space in the former burgrave's residence in 1930. In the early 20th century part of the Krumlov Chaplaincy library was incorporated into the castle library, including the remnant of the extremely valuable library of humanist Vaclav of Rovné from the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries.
There are 860 titles printed in the 16th century preserved in the Krumlov castle library fund, depicting the onset and spread of humanist ideas and the development of scientific knowledge, drawing inspiration and knowledge in the works of ancient authors, philosophers, mathematicians, historians, and poets, showing the change in the religious perception of the world and in the effort to codify the legal status of public affairs. A series of 16th century prints has preserved interesting provenance characters - ex libris, supralibros, and other proprietary inscriptions. Besides handwritten inscriptions of Johann Ulrich of Eggenberg with the personal devisa "Homines sumus", the ownership supralibros of Marie Ernestine von Eggenberg and copper engraved bookplates of the members of the Schwarzenberg family have preserved numerous other inscriptions and bookplates dating from the 16th to 19th century. There are proprietary marks, inscriptions and names which have been forgotten over the centuries. Next to them stand the names of representatives of both lower and upper nobility, Schwarzenberg and court officials, humanists, physicians, lawyers, and representatives of churches and religious corporations.
The Český Krumlov castle library is a typical example of an encyclopedic library collection covering the entire spectrum of scientific knowledge. From the contentual and artistic point of view, it is one of the most important private book collections in the Czech Republic.

Keywords: Český Krumlov, castle library, Eggenbergs, bookplates, 16th century prints

Published: December 1, 2015  Show citation