The exhibition of sacred art housed in the Stables building of Rundāle Palace is on display in a room that has also been consecrated as a chapel, and religious services are held there during the most important Church festivals. The central object of the room is an altar made in Mannerist style, unique in Latvia, which came to the Museum from Zemīte Lutheran Church.
Researchers have differing opinions about the time of construction of the stone building of Zemīte Lutheran Church. It is known that the owner of Zemīte manor, Barthold Buttlar, funded the construction of a church in the 1580s. However, there is no precise information as to whether it was a wooden building or the present stone building. The church tower once housed a bell, which was cast for Buttlar in 1585, suggesting that by this time the construction of the church had already been completed. The other possible time of the stone church construction dates to the 1640s and 1650s, when the parish of Zemīte began to have a permanent pastor and a Mannerist altar was made.
Photo: Leopolds Mārcis Kļaviņš, 1960s
The altar of Zemīte Lutheran Church was made circa 1650 in East Prussia, possibly in the workshop of the Königsberg woodcarver Joachim Pfaff, in collaboration with the painter Georg Krebs. In the 19th century the altar was repainted in light grey, with some details accentuated with bronze, in keeping with the aesthetics of the time. In the second quarter of the 19th century, the altar retable was built into a new column-based structure, and in 1933 a new altarpiece was inserted into the structure, completely obscuring the 17th-century altar. When employees of the Rundāle Palace Museum first visited the church in the 1960s, the Mannerist altar became an amazing discovery.
The church building was badly damaged in World War II; afterwards the congregation made attempts to restore the church. In 1963, however, the congregation ceased to exist, and the furnishings of the church faced possible looting or destruction. Therefore, in 1965 the older altar, together with several other items of the church furnishings, were transferred to Bauska Museum of Regional History and Art. At the time, Rundāle Palace was a branch of this museum. The church had been abandoned for a long period of time, with a leaky roof and collapsed ceiling, the organ and pews beyond repair, and only the damaged retable of the younger altar remained. In 1989, the Latvian Culture Foundation took the church under its care and funded the restoration of the roof and tower. The pulpit was returned to the church, and the altar, made in the second quarter of the 19th century, was restored, so the older altar was not needed and remained in the Rundāle Palace Museum. In 1993, the first service was held in the restored Zemīte Church.
In 2016–17 the altar was restored, and the overpaint was removed. The altar regained its original bright colouring characteristic to the Mannerist style. The restoration process, which involved twelve restorers, was lengthy and very extensive.[1]
There are relatively few surviving examples of Mannerist art in Latvia, which is why the altar of Zemīte Church is considered unique. Altars made in the Mannerist style are found in only a few Latvian churches, namely in Jaunpils, Zlēkas, Ēdole and Jamaiķi (Klostere) Lutheran churches.
At the time when the Zemīte Church altar was created, it was quite common to reproduce the compositions of famous paintings in graphics works. These works spread over a wide area and were also used by wood sculptors. An example of this practice can be seen in the altar of Zemīte Church. For example, the central composition of its retable, The Holy Family, was inspired by a 1605 engraving by the German artist Lucas Kilian (1579–1637) which in turn was based on a painting by the Dutch artist Bartholomeus Spranger (1546–1611).
Decorative woodcarving of the altar
The altar of Zemīte Lutheran Church abounds with motifs of ear cartilage, scroll, conch shell, acanthus twines and mascarons typical of the Mannerist style.
Mannerist sculpturing is characterised by its refinement of form, its tendency to surprise with the deformation of the human body, the dynamism of its composition and the vividness of its colours. Mannerist ornaments accentuate the strange and the horrifying.
During the Mannerist period when the altar of Zemīte Lutheran Church was created, a special technique was used to paint church furnishings. The wood surface was coated with a layer of primer and topped with a red poliment (a special composition of primer for gilding or silvering); it was then covered with silver or gold leaves and finished with colourful, bright, glazing varnishes. Thus, the painting attained a special sheen.
Let us continue with the scenes depicted in the sculptures and paintings of the altar.
The Holy Family. Relief
The central composition of the altar shows the Holy Family – Joseph, Mary and Jesus. Next to Jesus, with his back to the viewer, is John the Baptist. His identity is clearly revealed by the lamb, the traditional companion of John the Baptist in sacred art, especially when John is depicted as a child. The lamb is a symbol of Jesus; when John the Baptist met Jesus, he called him the Lamb of God (John 1:29, 1:36).
To make the composition even more solemn, it also includes two angels playing music.
Orchestra of Angels. Relief
The central composition of the altar, a depiction of the Holy Family, is complemented by an orchestra of angels under a starry vault of heaven. It shows angels playing various musical instruments.
Angel. Sculpture
Angels are very popular images in sacred art. The altar of Zemīte Church is no exception as two angel figures are visible above the central relief.
Angels are highly developed spiritual beings and belong to the invisible part of the world created by God. The ancient Greek word angelos means ‘messenger’, as it is their task to carry out and communicate God’s will.
Photo: Ints Lūsis, 2023
Mark the Evangelist. Sculpture
The Gospel tells the story of the life of Jesus Christ and his disciples. The Gospel of Matthew, the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Luke are called synoptic, or similar, because they largely describe the same events. Mark is the author of the second Gospel. He was not among the first disciples of Christ but was an assistant to the apostle Peter and wrote the Gospel based on what he learned from Peter.
Mark is depicted here with a book and a pen in his hands, indicating that he wrote the Gospel. The lion lying at his feet symbolises both courage and the resurrection of Christ, and also Christ as King. The Gospel of Mark emphasises Christ’s mighty deeds, so the lion also indicates that the Son of God came to earth to conquer evil, sin and death.
Matthew the Evangelist. Sculpture
According to the tradition, Matthew was a tax collector who, responding to the call of Jesus, followed him and became one of his twelve disciples. Matthew witnessed many of the events described in his Gospel.
The sculpture shows Matthew with a book and a pen, indicating that he is the author of a Gospel.
Matthew’s symbol is a man or an angel, usually represented next to him. This points to Christ’s human nature. The main theme of the Gospel is Christ’s incarnation and his arrival to establish the kingdom of God on earth. The Gospel of Matthew starts with the genealogy of Jesus, thus emphasising his humanity and his noble origins.
There is no angel next to the sculpture of Matthew in the altar of Zemīte Lutheran Church. However, considering that the other Evangelists have their own symbols, it is safe to say that this sculpture is a representation of Matthew. It is also attested by the inscription on the base of the sculpture.
Luke the Evangelist Sculpture
Luke the Evangelist was a physician and went on a mission together with the apostle Paul to spread Christianity. He collected the information for his Gospel from people who were first-hand witnesses of Christ’s earthly life and resurrection.
The book in Luke’s hands indicates that he is the author of a Gospel. Luke’s symbol is an ox or bull, depicted here as laying at his feet. In Christianity, the ox represents the sacrificial animal. The Gospel of Luke highlights Christ as a teacher or, in modern terms, a pastor or a priest. The Gospel begins and ends with a reference to the temple, thus pointing to its significance as regards the coming to fruition of God’s work among people.
Luke also emphasizes Christ’s sacrifice for people by atoning for their sins through his death. This is why the ox has been chosen as his symbol.
John the Evangelist. Sculpture
The Gospel of John is different from the other three, both in concept and content. The first three Gospels repeat a large part of the events of Christ’s life, while about 90 per cent of what is found in the Gospel of John is not found in other biblical texts.
John was a fisherman who was called by Christ and became his disciple.
In this sculpture John is depicted with a book and a pen in his hands, indicating that he is the author of a Gospel. The eagle at John’s feet symbolises heaven, the kingdom of heaven and the Holy Spirit. The Gospel of John emphasises the godly nature of Christ. John wanted to convince others that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. The scenes from Jesus’ life are selected and arranged in John’s Gospel for this very purpose.
Salvator Mundi. Sculpture
Salvator Mundi, or the Saviour of the World, is a specific form of representation of Christ. His right hand is bent at the elbow and two fingers are raised upwards in a sanctifying gesture.
In his left hand, Christ is holding an orb surmounted by a cross. The orb is a symbol of power and also of the Earth. The cross symbolises Christ’s reign over it. The gesture of Christ’s right hand and the orb in his left hand indicate that the Universe is being saved from calamity, evil and darkness.
Paul the Apostle. Sculpture
Paul the Apostle lived in the first half of the 1st century AD and was an opponent of Christianity until he experienced a revelation. Then he embraced Christianity and preached fervently about Jesus Christ.
His attributes are a sword and an open book. The book is an indication of Paul as an apostle, i.e. the bearer of the message of the Gospel, and the sword refers to the weapon from which he died a martyr’s death, that is, he was beheaded with a sword. In sacred art, martyrs are often depicted with attributes that recall the way they were killed or the weapon used.
The apostle Paul is often depicted together with the apostle Peter because they were contemporaries, and both played an important role in spreading Christianity.
Peter the Apostle. Sculpture
Peter the Apostle was one of Christ’s disciples. His original name was Simon but Jesus gave him the name Peter (Petros), which means ‘rock’ in Greek.
Christ entrusted Peter the care of the Church on earth and the keys to the kingdom of heaven. “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18–19, NKJV)
Therefore, Peter is usually depicted with keys in his hand. A book is another of his attributes because he is an apostle – the bearer of the message of the Gospel. Peter was the first bishop of Rome.
Virgin Mary. Sculpture
The composition in the upper section of the altar depicts Golgotha, with the crucified Jesus in the centre and Mary Magdalene at his feet. The sculpture of Virgin Mary is placed on a ledge on the top left side of the altar.
In religious art, the Calvary scene often includes the apostle John, but this sculpture has been lost from Zemīte altar. These three persons are depicted because, according to the Gospel of John, they were present at the crucifixion of Jesus (John 19:25–26).
Crucifix
Jesus Christ was crucified at the end of his life on earth, and this scene is often depicted in sacred art. The crucifix in the altar of Zemīte Lutheran Church is the crowning feature of the entire altar composition and part of the Calvary scene, which also includes sculptural representations of Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene.
Mary Magdalene. Sculpture
In the second quarter of the 19th century, the altar retable in Zemīte Lutheran Church was built into a new structure. As a result, the crucifix was shortened and the sculpture of Mary Magdalene was placed on the upper ledge of the altar. According to the composition of Calvary, it is most likely that originally this place was occupied by the statue of John the Apostle, which has not survived.
During the restoration, research revealed that Mary Magdalene was depicted hugging the cross of Christ. It is the current location of the sculpture.
Lord’s Supper. Painting
Knowing that he would be arrested and crucified, Jesus gathered his twelve disciples for the Passover meal (Pesah or Passover of the Lord, the feast that became the Christian Easter after the resurrection of Jesus Christ). That evening he also told his disciples that one of them would betray him. “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:26–28, NKJV)
This symbolic ritual is repeated in the liturgy of the Christian Church, and pastors and priests quote this passage from the New Testament when celebrating the Eucharist during which the worshippers receive the host (Communion bread) and, in some cases, wine.
The Last Supper scene most often depicts the table at which the disciples are seated, with Christ at the centre. This is also the case in Zemīte altar.
Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. Painting
After the meal, Christ and his disciples Peter, Jacob and John went to Gethsemane. There Christ urged them to stay awake, while he himself went a little further away to pray. When he returned, he saw that the disciples had fallen asleep, and again he told them to stay awake while he went to pray. The same happened again. Then Christ told his disciples that the hour had come when he would be delivered into the hands of sinners. Then Judas, the disciple who had betrayed him, arrived with Roman soldiers, and Christ was arrested. (Mark 14:32–46, Matthew 26:36–50, Luke 22:39–48)
A small painting in the altar of Zemīte Lutheran Church shows the three disciples asleep in the forefront and Jesus kneeling in the background.
Mary Magdalene with the Apostles. Painting
The subject of this painting is not known for sure, but it is most likely a scene with Mary Magdalene and the apostles.
After Jesus dies on the cross, he is laid in a tomb and then a large stone is placed in front of it. Two days later, Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb and sees that the stone has been rolled away and Christ has disappeared. With this message, she runs to the apostles Peter and John (John 20:1–4).
The painting shows two male figures, most likely the apostles, with Mary Magdalene kneeling in front of them. In the background there is an object resembling an open tomb, suggesting that the said event is depicted in the painting.
During the restoration, it was found that Prussian blue pigment was used in painting the sky, suggesting that this work was created or heavily altered in the 18th century.
Painting of a flower vase
The altar is adorned with sculptures, woodcarvings and paintings. They depict not only scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, but also two decorative vases with flowers. The style of these paintings does not match the period when the altar was made. During the restoration, research revealed that the flower vase on the left was painted over the remains of an earlier painting, while the original painting on the right has not survived.
The altar of Zemīte Lutheran Church is a significant example of Mannerist art, and the Rundāle Palace Museum is proud to have saved it from destruction and restored it to its original glory.
[1] The restoration project was coordinated by Aina Balode, Head of the Scientific Restoration Department of the Rundāle Palace Museum. The practical restoration work was led by Ilga Galviņa, a polychrome wood and gilding restorer, with the involvement of various specialists: carving restorer Vilnis Līdaka, easel painting restorer Zita Sokolova, monumental painting restorer Inese Mežkaze, polychrome wood restorers Laura Matilde Ikerte, Uldis Skanis, Elza Lapiņa, Kristīne Ahmanova, restorer Indra Liepa, and apprentice restorers Edvīns Balodis, Jānis Balodis and Renāte Zelma Ripa. The chemical analysis of the paint was carried out by Indra Tuņa, and the process was documented by photographer Ints Lūsis.
Author: Anita Bistere
RPM Researcher, Collections and Scientific Research Department
24.01.2025.
24.01.2025