Exhibition

Exhibition of Gothic paintings

Among the oldest collections of the museum are included rare panel altarpieces, which can be seen by visitors in one of the halls of the High gate. After several years long exposure of those gems of the late Gothic art in the Royal and later Knight´s hall of the Křivoklát castle they were returned in 2005 to the town of Rakovník, for which they were created. The four largest pictures painted from both sides are called the wings (closing Gothic altar) and they were bought in 1496 for the main altar of the Rakovník´s Cathedral of Saint Bartoloměj. The author is unknown Czech master inspered by patterns from Netherlands.

The design of the panels are Annunciation and Crucifixion with the Virgin Mary and Saint Jan, Nativity and the Flagellation of Christ, Circumcision of Christ and the Resurrection, Adoration of the three Kings and Christ in the garden of Gethsemane. The wings of Virgin Mary´s side altar also came from the Rakovník´s Catherdral of Saint Bartoloměj. On the two plates are the following themes: Angel from the Annunciaton, which correspond to its counterpart on the other plate painting of the Virgin Mary kneeling and on the other side of the plates is represented Virgin Mary with baby Jesus and Saint Catherine.

The wings of the side altar comes from first third of the 16th Century and they are probably works of Jan from Rakovník, who lived here in 1500 – 1525. The next two panel paintings were originally positioned as wings of the altar in St. Lawrence church in Senomaty. They are works of Czech master from the second half of 15th century and they are showing the Annunciation and the Nativity on one side and while the second side bears the motives Visitation and Adoration st. three kings. On the reverse side we find the figure of St. Catherine and St. Barbara with their attributes.