Alexander of Foigny and Mechthildis
Balthasar Bohanovsky, Mähren, 1759.
Glass panel painted on reverse in eglomisé technique with gold and silver leaf and opaque and transparent pigments. Inscribed to the front "B. Mechthildis Regis Scotiae Filiae" and "B. Alexander Regis Scotiae Filius". Both panels signed in ink on the reverse "P. Balthasar Bohanovsky Zarae Profeßus p: t: Radeschinii Inspector pinx A. 1759". The Alexander von Foigny panel broken, localised backed/restored losses to the silver leaf, a retouched area to the lower left corner on the Mechthildis. Carved and ebonised softwood frame, gilded over red bole, H 46, W 56 cm.
The painter of these works has been identified as the reverse glass painter Balthasar Bohanovsky, a monk and professor at the Cistercian abbey of Saar (Žďár) in Mähren and manager of the monastery estate of Radeschin (Radešín). Both places are located to the north of Brünn (Brno).
Bohanovsky, well-versed in the difficult eglomisé technique, may have made his own designs. The Scottish siblings Alexander and Mechthild/Mathilde of Foigny are rarely depicted in art, but Bohanovsky - as a Cistercian monk - must have felt a connection to them. Alexander of Foigny entered the Cistercian abbey of Foigny, founded by Bernhard of Clairvaux in 1121, and died there in 1217. Mechthildis presumably also served in Foigny, but later transferred to another convent.
Provenance
Auctioned by Hampel, Munich, March 2010.
Literature
Illus. in Steiner, Landschaft in der Hinterglasmalerei des 18. Jahrhunderts, Berlin-Munich 2013, illus. 74 f.
Illus. in Steiner, Goldglanz und Silberpracht – Hinterglasmalerei aus vier Jahrhunderten, Berlin-Munich 2015, no. 49 f.
Exhibitions
2013 Oberammergau Museum.
2015 Schaezlerpalais der Kunstsammlungen und Museen Augsburg.