New Findings on the Ceiling Decoration of the Fable Hall at Lemberk Castle | Identification of the Book Model of Nine Emblematic Scenes
The paper presents new findings on the iconography of the Late Renaissance coffered ceiling decoration in the ‘Fable Hall’ located in the western wing of Lemberk Castle in North Bohemia. It summarises previous knowledge and unclarified questions about this work of art, which is unique for its use of the books Theatrum morum (J. Sadeler, 1608) and Emblemata sacra (D. Cąramer, 1624) as models for the interior decorations of a noble residence in the former Lands of the Bohemian Crown. The paper identifies the collection Emblemata sacra as a verifiable inspiration for the nine scenes that were additionally incorporated into the ceiling. In this context, the author offers two hypothetical explanations for an unspecified time of intervention, which may represent one of the earliest attempts for an artistically sophisticated, deliberately ‘unacknowledged’ reconstruction of a historical monument.
Keywords: Lemberk Castle – painted ceiling – emblematics – iconography
Published: June 15, 2025 Show citation
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