Apotheosis of Rudolph II
ARTIST
Old艡ich Kulh谩nek
TITLE
Apotheosis of Rudolph II
DATE
1989
MEDIUM
Ink on Paper
DIMENSIONS (approx.)
Width 28鈥 x Length 39鈥 (71 cm x 99 cm)
CREDIT LINE
Bill and Effie Rosene
CURRENT LOCATION
Czech Center Museum 4920 San Jacinto St. Houston, TX 77004
Wenceslas Chapel
CLASSIFICATION
Etching
PROVENANCE
Prague
This etching of Rudolph II, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia from 1572 to 1611, was produced in 1989 by Old艡ich Kulh谩nek. Kulh谩nek, a Czech artist and graphic designer, is most famous for his etchings on Czech banknotes and stamps. Like this piece, titled Apotheosis of Rudolph II, they use minimal color and prominent lines.
In art, apotheosis refers to a treatment of a subject鈥檚 most important achievements. In this piece, Kulh谩nek depicts Rudolph鈥檚 patronage of the arts and sciences as his most important achievements through two women. Rudolph鈥檚 reign is still regarded as Prague鈥檚 Second Golden Age thanks to the progression of art and science and his tolerance of religious beliefs. His network was so extensive that the north wing of Prague Castle was built just for his collections.
In fact, etching originated in the 16th century contemporaneously with Rudolph鈥檚 reign. Etching allowed for relatively quick duplication of images, which made it ideal for paper currency prints in the following century. Kulh谩nek鈥檚 prior work in etchings, specifically of portraits and human figures like this one, made his style apt for the design of a new Czech banknote in a traditional style.
Before his etchings graced official banknotes and stamps, however, Kulh谩nek was arrested by the Communist-controlled Czech State Security (StB) in 1971 for designs condemned as 鈥渋deologically dangerous鈥. Like Kulh谩nek, Rudolph II was also imprisoned--but instead of state police, it was his own brother in a successful attempt to seize the throne in 1611.
Kulh谩nek became an artist and teacher in the Czech Republic after the Velvet Revolution of 1989. He later travelled as a visiting professor, including at the University of Houston 鈥 Clear Lake, where Bill and Effie Rosene acquired Apotheosis of Rudolph II in 2009.