This seminar focuses on the interdisciplinary study (together with the Institute of Conservation-Restoration, University of Pardubice [FR_UPCE]) of Baroque interiors, using St. George’s Chapel at Český Krumlov Castle (Czech Republic) as a central case study. Particular attention is given to the technique of scagliola, a key element of Baroque interior decoration in Austria and the Czech Republic. Building on the AKTION-project “Materiality of Cultural Heritage”, students explore material, art-historical, and conservation-related questions, including production techniques, material sources, transnational artistic networks, and characteristic processes of decay and deterioration. The seminar aims to convey research-based methods and to actively involve students in ongoing scientific collaborations.

Assessment consists of a written report in English to be submitted by May. The report includes a documentation of the current state and condition of the monument as well as a glossary of observed types of damage. The results will be presented in a joint meeting at the Institute of Conservation and Restoration at the University of Applied Arts Vienna (Salzgries), together with students from FR_UPCE. The exact date of the presentation will be agreed upon during the block course in Český Krumlov.

The course can only be taken in combination with the identically titled courses offered by Katharina Fuchs / Christoph Schleßmann. The assessment method is identical for all courses involved. The seminar is conducted in English.