Contraphe der abgeleibten fürstlichen Bischöff zu Seccau. On the Portrait Gallery of Seckau Bishops in Seggau Castle

Abstract

Nowadays, 58 half-length portraits of the bishops of Seckau are included in an episcopal gallery in the representation rooms of Seggau Castle. The portrait gallery was first mentioned in an inventory, written in 1675 under the reign of bishop Wenzel Wilhelm von Hofkirchen (1670–1679). At the beginning, these portraits were presented in a room called the great hall (großer Saal) or the bishop’s room (Bischofszimmer). Around 1830 the bishop’s room was located on the first floor of the castle. Between 1835 and 1867 the portraits were moved into the two rooms on the second floor where they are today. The model for this type of gallery can be found in the bishop’s chapel (Bischofskapelle) in Seckau Abbey, founded by Bishop Martin Brenner. The gallery is similar to other portrait galleries of bishops in Salzburg, Lavant, Augsburg, Dillingen, Kroměříž, St Andrä (now in Mari- bor). It is a paradigm for the three fundamental concepts of portrait galleries: tradition, legacy and memoria.