This time, the exhibition "Santini and the World of His Architecture" features original works illustrating period practices: a piece by Andrea Pozzo, projects by Josef Koce, Count of Dobrše, and paper designs of the profile of the main cornice and the balcony entablature from a contemporary competition.
In the exhibition "Santini and the World of His Architecture," visitors can familiarize themselves with all of the surviving hand-drawn projects of Jan Blažej Santini through reproductions. The original plans are displayed in special cases and only for a limited time, for preservation reasons.
As part of the sixth series of original plans, we delved deeper into the architectural offices of past centuries and temporarily shifted away from Jan Blažej. This time, visitors can explore various other documents that illustrate period practices.
Andrea Pozzo's (1642–1709) work was undoubtedly known to Jan Blažej, and on the open page of the book, there is an image that greatly inspired him. The book was published multiple times and in 1800 was translated into German under the title Der Mahler und Baumeister (The Painter and Architect).
Some other exhibits are being shown for the first time. Every architect had to draw construction details for their buildings. However, these drawings usually disappeared during construction, making them very rarely preserved. The paper designs of the profile of the main cornice and the balcony entablature on display come from a competition where the applicant for a high-ranking position had to prove they were capable of such work.
Another previously unknown specialty is the projects by Josef Koce, Count of Dobrše, from the 1770s and 1780s. This amateur architect evidently drew from famous reference works and created designs for grand country estates for his own enjoyment, although he did not have even a fraction of the financial means necessary to realize them.