Santini-Aichel, Jan Blaz̆ej

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Santini-Aichel, Jan Blaz̆ej (1677–1723). Born in Prague, he was one of the most original and inventive architects of C18 Bohemia. He mingled Baroque and Gothic styles, as at the Church of the Assumption at Sedlec (1701–6), the Cloister Church, Kladruby (1712–26—where he was influenced by Ried's Gothic vaulting), the Church of the Virgin, Z̆eliv (1713–20), and the Pilgrimage Church of St John Nepomuk, Zelená Hora, near Žd'ár nad Sazavou (1720–2). Some of his centrally planned churches recall the geometries of Borromini and Guarini, and Pevsner called him a ‘Bohemian Hawksmoor’. His palaces have more affinity with the work of Fischer von Erlach: a good example is Karlová Koruna, Chlumec nad Cidlinov (1721–3). His work does not appear to have stimulated further experiment or development.

Bibliography

Architectural Review, cxxi/721 (Feb. 1957), 113–14;
Franz (1962);
E. Hempel (1965);
J. Neumann, and J. (1970);
Norberg-Schulz (1986a);
Placzek (ed.) (1982);
Queysanna (1986);
Jane Turner (1996)

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Santini-Aichel, Jan Blaz̆ej

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