Theodoric of Prague
Encyclopedia
Theodoric of Prague or Master Theoderic (in Latin Magister Theodoricus (working ca. 1360–1380) was a Gothic painter
Gothic art
Gothic art was a Medieval art movement that developed in France out of Romanesque art in the mid-12th century, led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, but took over art more completely north of the Alps, never quite effacing more classical...

 who was court painter
Court painter
A court painter was an artist who painted for the members of a royal or noble family, sometimes on a fixed salary and on an exclusive basis where the artist was not supposed to undertake other work. Especially in the late Middle Ages, they were often given the office of valet de chambre...

 to Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....

 and the first Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...

n painter whose name can be linked to a body of work. His masterpiece, by which he is known, is the Chapel of the Holy Cross at Charles' newly-completed Karlštejn Castle castle-palace near Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...

, containing a large series of slightly over-lifesize half-length panel portraits of saints and other notable figures on a gold ground, commissioned in 1359, though completed over a number of years. Theodoric was the first Czech painter whose works are confirmed by archived documentation.

Theodoric’s magnum opus is a collection of panel paintings and wall paintings that were done on the commission of Charles IV for the Chapel of the Holy Cross at Karlstejn Castle. All together, there are 129 works, all of saints, prophets, or angels. The National Gallery in Prague
National Gallery in Prague
The National Gallery in Prague is a state-owned art gallery in Prague, Czech Republic. It is housed in different locations within the city, the largest being the Veletržní Palác....

 said that they “only few equals in the world: we believe that it is no exaggeration to say that they bear comparison with such artistic monuments and phenomena as the Arena in Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...

, the churches at Assisi
Assisi
- Churches :* The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery, il Sacro Convento, and the lower and upper church of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, and completed in 1253...

 or Sta, Croce in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....

 [and the] palace of the popes in Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...

.”

Known for his bold and vigorous style, he is seen as a central figure in the development of Bohemian art. As many other Gothic painters, he used very bright and attention-grabbing colors and bold lines. He painted powerful figures in small frames, filling the viewer with the notion of monumentality. Famous for his use of light and reflection, he created the illusion of endless space in his work by allowing light to travel beyond the frame. He is considered a pioneer in this area. Scholars have disagreed on several aspects of Theodoric’s career. One historian noted that Theodoric was a “unique phenomenon” whose works could not be explained by stylistic evolution, as there were no precedents for his art work, making one believe that he may have been self taught. Another scholar held an opposite opinion—that he was influenced both by Italian and French contemporary art.

Theodoric died c. 1381.
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