MAY 27 - SEPTEMBER 21, 2014

EUROPE’S FATHERS AUGUSTUS AND CHARLEMAGNE A SMALL PRESENTATION

The Roman emperor Augustus died 2000 and Charlemagne 1200 years ago. This small exhibition presents a selection of unique artefacts that illustrate the intellectual world of these two seminal rulers, the splendour of their courts, and their importance in European history. The Vienna Coronation Gospels will be on show for the first time since 1954. The exhibition showcases two of the museum’s most iconic artworks: the Coronation Gospels and the Gemma Augustea. Generally regarded as the

most important extant cameo from classical antiquity - and one that Augustus himself probably once owned and touched - the Gemma Augustea depicts him as Jupiter enthroned beside the goddess Roma. The Coronation Gospels was produced for Charlemagne; its purple-dyed parchment pages and gold letters make it one of the most important illuminated manuscripts in European art history. Chosen by Caesar to be his heir, Augustus (63 BC – AD 14) had to defeat his adversaries before he could install himself as the de-facto first Emperor in 27 BC, cleverly balancing the need to pretend to preserve the Roman Republic and assuming absolute power. The images and inscriptions on coins minted by him document this exceptional man’s route to power; much like today’s newspapers, they illustrate and reflect contemporary political ideas and events. Augustus’ reign lasted several decades, during which he established the political, architectural, artistic and cultural framework that continues to influence Europe and the world. The proclamation of an “aurea aetas”, a new Golden Age, played a seminal role in this. Augustus was the first Emperor to define his official state portrait, which remained unaltered for decades and was omnipresent throughout the Roman Empire in the form of marble and bronze portraits. Artefacts like the Grimani reliefs from the Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities celebrate eternal peace in carefully composed bucolic scenes. But the imperial cameos represent the apex of Augustus’ artistic policies, reliefs cut from semi-precious stones that were commissioned by him, or by members of his inner circle and presented to him. Originally only displayed in a private setting, these sumptuous artefacts bring us close to the ruler and his carefully-devised political propaganda. On the Gemma Augustea, the most important extant classical cameo, he is depicted as the equal of the goddess Roma. Such a composition could never be used in a public commission. We may confidently assume that Augustus owned and handled the Gemma Augustea. Subsequent legends connected this exceptional cameo with the memory of Charlemagne, who was said to have worn it as a talisman in battle before donating it to the church of St. Sernin in Toulouse. Via Paris and Venice it eventually entered the renowned Kunstkammer collection assembled by Emperor Rudolf II in Prague – and thus the Habsburg collections - in the early 17th century. In AD 768 Charlemagne (748 [?] – 814) succeeded his father as King of the Franks. In numerous campaigns he extended his realm so far that contemporaries revered him as “Europe’s father” or “Europe’s beacon”. Crowned Emperor by the Pope in Rome in AD 800, he was the first mediaeval European ruler to assume the title “Imperator Augustus”.

Underlining the claim to be the rightful heir to the western part of the Roman Empire, which had perished in AD 476, this homage to the first Roman emperor continued to be used for the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire until 1806. Charlemagne’s coinage also functioned as a public display of his new imperial title and authority: to commemorate important events he minted denarii decorated with his portrait in profile in the style of ancient Roman emperors. Other artists working for him were equally direct in their use of classical models. No other extant illustrated manuscript documents the influences of late-classical painting as powerfully as the Coronation Gospels with its elaborate decorations and refined pictures. Eventually, this truly imperial codex comprising parchment pages dyed purple with gold and silver handwriting were revered as a “relic” of the founder of the Holy Roman Empire, who was canonized in 1165, and used during the coronation liturgy of its kings and emperors. The exhibition presents this unique masterpiece for the first time since the 1950s. In the course of the exhibition a total of five folio pages will be on display; in addition, the complete facsimile edition, published by Faksimile-Verlag Munich, will allow visitors to view the entire Coronation Gospels. The exhibition is curated by Georg Plattner, Director of the Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities, Franz Kirchweger, Curator of the Kunstkammer Vienna and the Imperial Treasury, Michael Alram, Director of the Coin Collection, and Kathrin Siegel, project assistant in the Coin Collection.

INFORMATION AND EXHIBITION PROGRAMME

Schedule for the presentation of the five different double pages of the Vienna Coronation Gospels: May 27 – June 23 St. John the Evangelist (fol. 178/179); June 23 – July 14 altar card (fol. 8/9); July 14 – August 11 St. Mathew (fol. 14/15); Aug. 11 – Sept.1 St. Marc (fol. 76/77); Sept. 1 – Sept. 21 St. Luke (fol. 117/118).

GUIDED TOURS

Would you like to book a guided tour? Please contact: +43 1 525 24 – 5202 kunstvermittlung@khm.at

PRESS PHOTOGRAPHS

These images may be used free of charge when writing about this exhibition; to download them go to press.khm.at

exhibition poster © KHM

Gemma Augustea Roman, AD 9 – 12 two-layered onyx, setting: gold, back features decorative open work 17th century, h. 19 cm, w. 23 cm Vienna, KHM, Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities, inv.no. IXa 79 © KHM

Portrait of Augustus Roman, early 1st century AD marble, h. 36 cm Vienna, KHM, Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities, inv.no I 60 © KHM

Grimani Fountain Relief: Ewe with Lamb Roman, late 1st century BC Found in Palestrina (Italy) marble, h. 96 cm, w. 81 cm Vienna, KHM, Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities, inv.no. I 604 © KHM

Grimani Fountain Relief: Lioness with Cub Roma, late 1st century AD Found in Palestrina (Italy) marble, h. 94 cm, w. 81 cm Vienna, KHM, Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities, inv.no I 605 © KHM

Eagle Cameo Roman, 27 BC Two-layered onyx, brown on white, setting: silver, gilt, Milan, 3d quarter of the 16th century, 22 cm diam., setting 26,5 cm diam. Vienna, KHM, Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities, inv.no IXa 26 © KHM

Livia Holding a Bust of Divus Augustus Roman, AD 14 – 29 Sardonyx, irregular layers, setting: enamelled gold, 17th century h. 9 cm, w. 6,6 cm (excl. setting) Vienna, KHM, Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities, inv.no IXa 95 © KHM

Vienna Coronation Gospels fol. 9r: altar card Court of Charlemagne, Aix-la-Chapelle, ca. 795-800 Parchment, dyed, gold and silver ink, body colour h. 32,4 cm, w. 24,9 cm Secular Treasury, inv.no. XIII 18 © KHM

Vienna Coronation Gospels fol. 15r: St. Matthew the Evangelist Court of Charlemagne, Aix-la-Chapelle, ca. 795-800 parchment, dyed, gold and silver ink, opaque colours h. 32,4 cm, w. 24,9 cm Secular Treasury, inv.no. XIII 18 © KHM

Vienna Coronation Gospels fol. 16r: text page, the beginning of the Gospel of St. Matthew At the court of Charlemagne, Aix-la-Chapelle, ca. 795-800 parchment, dyed, gold and silver ink, opaque colours h. 32,4 cm, w. 24,9 cm Secular Treasury, inv.no. XIII 18 © KHM

Vienna Coronation Gospels fol. 76v: St. Marc the Evangelist Court of Charlemagne, Aix-la-Chapelle, ca. 795-800 parchment, dyed, gold and silver ink, opaque colours h. 32,4 cm, w. 24,9 cm Secular Treasury, inv.no. XIII 18 © KHM

Vienna Coronation Gospels fol. 178v: St. John the Evangelist At the court of Charlemagne, Aix-la-Chapelle, ca. 795-800 parchment, dyed, gold and silver ink, opaque colours h. 32,4 cm, w. 24,9 cm Secular Treasury, inv.no.. XIII 18 © KHM

Ideal Portrait of Charlemagne Copy after Albrecht Dürer, c. 1600 Oil on canvas h. 209 cm, w. 119,5 cm Picture Gallery, inv.no. 2771 © KHM

Charlemagne (768–814, crowned Emperor in 800), denarius with portrait of Charlemagne Minted in Aix-la-Chapelle? Obverse: KAROLVS IMP(erator) AVG(ustus); bust portrait facing right with laurel wreath and imperial cloak (paludamentum). Beneath the bust the letter F Silver, 1,71 g, 20 mm Coin Collection of the Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin. Inv.no.: 1911 Slg. Gariel-Ferrari © Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Münzkabinett

Charlemagne (768–814, crowned Emperor in 800), denarius with portrait of Charlemagne Minted in Aix-la-Chapelle? Reverse: XPICTIANA RELIGIO. Temple with four columns and cross in the centre and on Silver, 1,71 g, 20 mm Coin Collection of the Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin. Inv.no.: 1911 Slg. Gariel-Ferrari © Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Münzkabinett

Augustus, Aureus Minted in Hispania (?), 18 – 17 BC. 7,84 g, 20,9 mm Obverse: S P Q R IMP CAESARI AVG COS XI TR POT VI; head of Augustus facing right Coin Collection, inv.no. RÖ 4700 © KHM

Augustus, Aureus Minted in Hispania (?), 18 – 17 BC. 7,84 g, 20,9 mm Reverse: CIVIB ET SIGN MILIT A PART RECVP; so-called Parthian Arch Coin Collection, inv.no. RÖ 4700 © KHM

Augustus, Aureus Minted in Hispania (?), 20 – 19 BC 7,86 g, 19,7 mm Obverse: head of Augustus with laurel wreath facing right Coin Collection, inv.no. RÖ 4837 © KHM

Augustus, Aureus Minted in Hispania (?), 20 – 19 BC 7,86 g, 19,7 mm Reverse: CAESAR AVGVSTVS S P Q R, CL V; shield of honour, two small laurel trees Coin Collection, inv.no. RÖ 4837 © KHM

Tiberius for Divus Augustus, Aureus Lugdunum (Lyon), 14–37 7,83 g, 19,5 mm Obverse: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS; head of Tiberius with laurel wreath facing right Coin Collection, inv.no. RÖ 5099 © KHM

Tiberius for Divus Augustus, Aureus Lugdunum (Lyon), 14–37 7,83 g, 19,5 mm Reverse: DIVOS AVGVST DIVI F; head of Augustus with laurel wreath facing right, star Coin Collection, inv.no. RÖ 5099 © KHM

OPENING HOURS AND ENTRANCE FEES

PRESS OFFICE

Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien Maria Theresien-Platz 1010 Wien June, July and August open daily! Tuesdays - Sundays, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Annual Ticket € 34 Adults € 14 Vienna Card € 13 Concessions € 11 Children under 19 free Group ticket (p.p.) € 10 Audio Guide (german / english) € 4

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