Turnaj
Tournament

Author(s): Martin Hložek, Irena Loskotová
Subject(s): Archaeology, Cultural history, Visual Arts, Local History / Microhistory, History of Art
Published by: Masarykova univerzita nakladatelství
Keywords: Tournament series; archeology; figures; stove tiles; Knight with coats of arms; medieval town of Brno;
Summary/Abstract: The tournament series comprises only four motifs, but it is easy to distinguish from the numerous relief depictions with similar content. Similarly as it was with the Adoration of the Magi series, the figures are not crowded together in the area of a single frontal heating panel, but appear individually on separate stove tiles. Apart from the overall visual design, these tiles are interlinked by the element of an ogee arch at the foot of the relief. The arch is topped by a transversal fess, on which individual figures are placed (Jordánková–Loskotová–Merta 2004, 582–583, 588–589; Jordánková–Loskotová 2007, 334–339, 352–355; 2007a; Loskotová 2011, 69–74). Inclined armorial shields are visible in pendentives on both sides of the arch. The main figures – two knights in full plate armour – are depicted just before the moment of their collision, with lance heads touching the opponent’s shield. The heraldic symbols (saltire raguly in escutcheon and a panache of peacock feathers with a fish in crest) enable to identify the knight riding to the left with Hynek Bítovský of Lichtenburk (Fig. 1; Stehlíková 1999, 227) – the leader of Moravian Catholic opposition against George of Poděbrady. The coat of arms on the other side of the relief and the armorial bearings on the shield on horse’s forehead belong to the Lords of Šternberk (eight-pointed star). The opponent can be identified on the basis of the figure preserved in the shield and crest as a member of the royal family of the Lords of Kunštát (Fig. 2). The coat of arms below the fess on the opposite side of this relief is unfortunately not preserved among the recorded finds. Behind this knight, there is a jester riding a hinny, donkey or mule.

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