Projects / Programmes
Medieval monasteries and their founders: political iconography of the Andechs and the Babenbergs in the case of foundation and artistic image of Jurklošter charterhouse
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.09.00 |
Humanities |
Art history |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| H003 |
Humanities |
History and Arts |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 6.04 |
Humanities |
Arts (arts, history of arts, performing arts, music) |
art history, general history, cultural history, sacred art, architecture, sculpture, monasteries, Carthusians, Middle Ages, political iconography, the Andechs-Merans, the Babenbergs, Jurklošter, Žiče charterhouse
Researchers (1)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
23509 |
PhD Mija Oter Gorenčič |
Art history |
Head |
2010 - 2013 |
279 |
Organisations (1)
Abstract
The Carthusian monastery of Jurklošter (Gairach), once belonging to the Saunia District and now in the Commune of Laško, was founded by Henry I (1167–1174), Bishop of Gurk. As early as 1199 the monastery was disbanded because of the decline of monastic discipline. Its re-foundation was promoted by Nicholas, Prior of Žiče charterhouse, who won Duke Leopold VI Babenberg, Prince of the Province, to support the enterprise. Leopold was highly motivated for the foundation of a monastery on the strategically essential location to reinforce his rule in the Duchy of Styria. The monastery church was consecrated by bishop Egbert of Bamberg of the Andechs-Meran family (1203–1237), brother of Bertold, patriarch of Aquileia (1218–1251).
Because the above-stated information has not been adequately taken into account in art historical literature before, the objective of the proposed research is to investigate in detail and determine the role and significance of both the Andechs-Merans and the Babenbergs in the second founding of the Jurklošter charterhouse. Publications of research results in renowned scholarly journals will expand the knowledge about the role of these two dynasties in the foundation and the promotion of the development of monasteries and their influence in the dissemination of artistic trends in (Central) Europe. New findings will also be of interest to foreign scholars, who are almost completely unacquainted with the significance of the Jurklošter charterhouse from the viewpoint of its close connectedness with the most important ecclesiastical-political as well as artistic demiurges of the (Central) European world in the High Middle Ages, i.e. the dynasties of the Andechs-Merans and the Babenbergs. Research results will not only be useful to art history but also to other humanities, tourism, education as well as evaluation and preservation of this art monument.
The new findings which will result from the research from the viewpoint of art history and cultural history as well as political iconography will be of extraordinary importance for a wider Central-European space. Of particular interest to the field of art history will be the answer to the questions concerning the artistic connection between the monasteries of Žiče (Seitz) and Jurklošter, the mutual influence of the Early Gothic architecture of the Babenbergs on the one hand and the Lower Styria charterhouses on the other, and the place of Jurklošter in the development of Early Gothic architecture in Central Europe. In a wider sense, the research will open a new insight not only into the artistic activities of the two central families in the High Middle Ages in Central Europe, but it will also answer the question about how decisive the role of secular lords was in the decision-making about the building scheme of a certain architectural monument, in our case of the two central monuments of monastic art in the 12th and 13th centuries in Central Europe.
The originality of results will be guaranteed by a new approach to the analysis of general and art history of the Jurklošter charterhouse, which will proceed from much broader aspects rendered possible by a thorough analysis of completely unresearched relationships between the Carthusians in Lower Styria, the Babenbergs as Princes of the Province and the two representatives of the Andechs-Meran family.
The post-doctoral project will be carried out at a research institute (the France Stele Institute of Art History), which will provide optimal circumstances for its successful implementation.
Significance for science
The leader of the postdoctoral project investigated in detail the political context of the second establishment of Jurklošter charterhouse and determined the role and significance of both the Andechs-Merans, especially of Ekbert Andechs, Bishop of Bamberg, and Leopold VI. of Babenberg in the second founding and the development of the Jurklošter and Žiče charterhouses. The research thus comprised two main monuments of the High Middle Ages in Slovenia (charterhouse in Jurklošter and Žiče), whose artistic and historical significance reaches far over Slovenian borders. Therefore all the findings related to this monument are of crucial importance not only for Slovenian space but also for wider research of high medieval monastic art. The research resulted in basic new findings for the field of art history, other humanities (particularly history and theology) and also for the field of cultural, national and political history; it enabled new evaluation of the charterhouses of Žiče and Jurklošter and their more adequate integration in the European context, which was possible chiefly through taking account of the hitherto neglected role of the Babenbergs and the Andechs-Merans. The studies also focused on relations between both charterhouses of the Lower Styria and Babenberg architecture, which is one of the central subjects in research of Austrian medieval art; the period is also of crucial significance for the analysis of the development of the early Gothic in Central Europe. The results are highly relevant not only for Slovene art history and wider cultural and political history, but also for art history and cultural-political history of a broader Central European space. The new findings represent an important contribution to the insight into the evolution of early Gothic architecture on the territories of Slovenia and the wider Central Europe. They establish the impact of the central political personalities of the High Middle Ages on the cultural development and progress within this geographical area, which was importantly influenced by the foundation and management of monasteries.
Significance for the country
The research is important for cultural development of Slovenia. The findings have helped to significantly expand knowledge on the history of the Jurklošter Charterhouse and the connections of the Carthusian order with secular individuals in general. The hypothesis of the close (workshop) interconnection between the Jurklošter and Žiče Charterhouses with the monuments of the early Babenberg Gothic, which was prevalent in older literature, was refuted. The role of the House of Andech in the second foundation of the Jurklošter Charterhouse and the significance of foundation of Jurklošter for the political and ecclesiastical activity of Leopold VI of Babenberg were also previously left entirely unresearched. Thus far, the patrocinium of Saint Maurice has been altogether overlooked and ignored in Slovenian scholarly literature. As a result, thorough research of the Saint and his connections to the Jurklošter Charterhouse brought forward fully new findings and enabled new insight into the foundation of monasteries in the High Middle Ages on Slovenian territories. The motives behind the selection of such patrocinium for churches on the entire territory of present-day Slovenia were also studied. The results of the research were presented in papers read at two international symposiums in Aggsbach (Austria) and Belley (France), at a conference in Ljubljana, a public lecture in Jurklošter and in papers published in internationally renowned scholarly journals. Such dissemination of research findings helped to expand the knowledge about the role of prominent Central European dynasties in the founding of monasteries and the development of artistic trends in the High Middle Ages. The Jurklošter charterhouse in particular has not been sufficiently known to foreign scholars before; furthermore, as a rule, neither the Jurklošter nor the Žiče charterhouses have been included in the surveys of the history of European art, although both of them are decisive in the evolution of the Early Gothic art in Central Europe. The results are important and directly applicable in the preservation of cultural heritage and in the protection and presentation of cultural monuments. They will also have a great significance for toursim and education. The new findings are of fundamental importance for new understanding and evaluation of art in Slovenia in a wider (Central) European context. The project results are also useful to other humanities, they will contribute to development and wider knowledge of the national cultural identity as well. Papers presented at the international conferences, on which Slovenian monuments have been put in an equivalent position to European, have contributed to the promotion of Slovenia and its cultural heritage. The research comprised in this project have emphasised the relations between Slovenia and wider European space.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2011,
2012,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2010,
2011,
2012,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
