In The Chapel

In the Chapel at Nelahozeves Castle there hangs an imposing, full-length depiction of a Black Madonna and Child, based on the celebrated statue known as The Madonna of Einsiedeln. It is by an unknown artist, probably of the Central European School. The ducal arms of Baden emblazoned on the image suggest that it was commissioned by the Baden family. Black Madonnas, as a distinct subject, spread throughout medieval Europe and eventually reached the shores of the Americas. A number of theories have linked the Black Madonna to pre-Christian earth goddesses or perhaps to the Egyptian goddess Isis, but these are still the subject of debate among art historians.  

This rare oil painting returned to Nelahozeves Castle on 20 June 2013 after a complete restoration by Collections conservator Martin Martan and was graciously sponsored by Mr and Mrs Jürgen Stackmann. In its previous state, as a result of brittleness caused by age, the Black Madonna required structural conservation work such as patching and re-lining. The original canvas had suffered numerous tears that could have enlarged and undermined the stability of the fragile layers of paint. The painting also needed cleaning to bring out the subtle white-and-gold palette of the Madonna’s garments.

The restoration not only saved the painting from further damage, it also confirmed its iconographic provenance: the Black Madonna from The Lobkowicz Collections is inspired by the famous Madonna of Einsiedeln in Switzerland. Like the original statue, this Black Madonna is holding Baby Jesus in her left hand and a sceptre in her right, and the Baby is holding a small black bird, probably a goldfinch, to remind us of the Passion.