Religion
Baroque religious art was designed to move, impress and please. Holy objects were both functional and ornamental. In the Baroque, the most frequent sacred buildings were built and religious motives predominated in other artistic movements, too.
The churches were supposed to be a symbol of heaven brought to the ground. People did not believe in intelligence and nature. They were focused on their own soul and faith. Things were shown truly, naturally and without any shame. For example, the paintings of Jesus's crucifixion or martyr's death are full of pain. The most important thing was to emphasize contrast between the cruel devil and gracious God, evil and good or poverty of people and grandeur churches.
There was an absolutization of faith and the influence of the Marian cult is growing.
John of Nepomuk
Saint John of Nepomuk (Jan Nepomucký) is the most famous saint of Bohemia and patron of bridges, fishermen, millers and swimmers. He was born around 1345 in Pomuk as a son of lawyer. He studied at Prague University and then worked as a notary of the archbishop's judicial office for 10 years. In 1380 he was ordained a priest and became a parish priest in St. Havel Church in Prague Old Town. Between 1382 and 1387 he studied law at Padova University in Italy. After his return home in 1389, archbishop John of Jenštejn appointed him General Vicar of the Prague Archdiocese. John of Nepomuk became a very important church official as he was very careful and defended the church's rights consistantly.
In 1393, Saint John of Nepomuk had a conflict with Wenceslaus IV (the king of the Romans an Bohemia) on the appointment of abbot of Kladruby Monastery. Therefore John was arrested and on March 20, 1393 drowned in the Vltava river at the behest of the king. His body was found few days later. However, this may not be the real story. There is also another legend why the king ordered to drown John.
John was the confessor of the queen and refused to reveal the seal of confession. We can get further details about John's death from the 15th century chronicles. These sources mention that king Wenceslaus was afraid that his wife had a lover. As she was used to confessing to John, he ordered him to tell the name of the lover. Despite the torture, John did not break seal of the confession, so the king cut out his tongue and ordered John to be drown. According to the legend, John of Nepomuk is considered to be the first martyr of the seal of confession, a protector from floods and drowning because of the way he died.
The figure of St. John of
Nepomuk is usually portrayed with a halo of five stars, commemorating the stars
that appeared above the Vltava river at the night of his murder. His Baroque tomb
is in St. Vitus Cathedral and was designed by Fisher von Erlach. In 1693, the
Charles Bridge was adorned with a statue of the saint which became a model for
a lot of other John's statues mostly located on bridges. There is also the
cross of St. John of Nepomuk on the exact place of the bridge where John was
thrown into the river. The visitors of Prague come to the cross, put their
hands on it and make their secret wish and believe that it will come true. The
cult of Saint John of Nepomuk started in Baroque in the second half of the 17th
century. John was proclaimed saint in 1721. The day of St. John of Nepomuk
is celebrated on May 16th not just in the Czech Republic but also in many other
states of Europe.
From one of the trips of the Czech team in Prague
Exchange in the Czech Republic
Torture
It was a legal violent way and a common part of inquisition in the Middle Ages and early modern period to force the defendant to confess his act by using torture instruments.
Since the 14th century, torture was absolutely common thing all around Europe. A lot of innocent people were killed during this time.
It was a part of criminal law and it was under state control. Basic torture was divided into two categories: the first one could cripple and kill the victim and the second one could just cause strong pain but couldn't seriously hurt. Especially in the Middle Ages, special rooms were built for a way of torture called 'torture chambers'. They were situated under the ground, so that the wail couldn't be heard. Their statements were documented in 'executioner books'.
The right of using torture was set by a few laws. Partly by the law code of crime by Charles I. In 1532 and later in Baroque in the law of torture by Joseph I in 1707. Accordint to the law code, boys until 18, girls until 15 and people over 70 and also pregnant women couldn't be tortured. Aristocrats could be tortured only if they commited a crime of insults divine or secular majesty, betrayal and political crimes.
In 1776 Maria Theresa banned using of torture in all judiciary as a big change in her law code throughout the Habsburg monarchy. And in 1787, torture was definitely banned.
Constitutio criminala Josephina
It was the first comprehensive law code for the lands of the Bohemian Crown published in 1707 by Joseph I. It came out of Constitutio criminalis Carolina published by Charles V in 1532. There are punishments such as hand and finger wiping, cutting ears and tongue off etc. In addition to the honor of death, the death penalty also includes hanging, breaking around, being buried alive, burning, drowning or quartering.
One of the most important parts of this law code was the principle of determent. It should deter defendants but especially the others.
Persecution of witches
A separate chapter of torture are witch trials which were held mostly in the late Middle Ages. Most people were executed in the 16th and 17th century because of persecution especially in German countries, Switzerland and Scotland. It passed away with famine and epidemics. They are associated with the extension of superstition, myths, spreading the evil spirit and supernatural phenomena.
Examples of torture
- Spanish boot
The Spanish boot, or 'leg-screw', used mostly in Germany and Scotland, was a steel boot that was placed over the leg of the accused and was tightened. The pressure from the squeezing of the boot would break the shin bone into pieces. - Barbed barrel
- The echelle
More commonly known as 'ladder' or 'rack'. A long table that the accused would lie upon and be stretched violently. - The water torture
By this, the accused was maintained at the very edge of drowning or by putting the body into boiling water. - Rat torture
Some executioners had a rat in a cage and they put it on the victim. By warming it up by fire, the rat needed to get out and the only way was to get through the body. - Stretching legs
Quiz
- When was torture definitively cancelled?
- Who could not be tortured by Joseph I law code?
- In which categories was torture separated?
- 3 examples of torture
- What was one of the main reasons of publishing the Joseph I. law code?
