Max Dvořák

Max Dvořák (* June 24, 1874, in Raudnitz; † February 8, 1921, in Grusbach in Znojmo ), was a Czech- Austrian art historians and conservators.

Life

The son of a princely castle Lobkowitzschen archivist grew up on the old Bohemian noble castle Raudnitz and wrote his first scientific and poetic attempts in the Czech language. Dvořák studied at the universities of Prague and Vienna and received his doctorate with a thesis on the forgeries of the Chancellor Kaspar Schlick. In addition to his historical dissertation already created an art historical work on the Byzantine influence on the miniature painting of the Trecento. Also Dvořák's habilitation thesis dealt with miniature painting, namely that of John of Neumarkt. In a time when the nationalist exuberance for the representatives of the history of art was not rare ( see for example the work of Georg Dehio ) put Dvořák in his research the emphasis on transnational issues and problems.

Max Dvořák, from 1909 Professor of Art History at the University of Vienna, is one of the main representatives of the Vienna School of Art History and coined with his most important publication the concept of art history as a history of ideas. 1905-1910 he worked as a successor to his revered teacher Alois Riegl also curator general of the Imperial Central Commission for the Study and Conservation of art and historical monuments, today's Bundesdenkmalamt. In 1916 he published his standard work Catechism of the monuments in which he was able to awaken the understanding of broad social circles for the concerns of preservation with simple words.

As Dvořák reached in 1920, the call to take over the chair of art history at the newly founded University of Cologne, he decided finally in favor of Vienna.

Dvořák died during a visit to his friend Count Khuen on whose castle in Moravia of a stroke. He left a widow and two minor children. Max Dvořák was buried in the cemetery to Grusbach in a grave of honor.

Works (selection)

• Catechism of Monuments and Sites ( 1916) (2nd edition 1918)
• Idealism and Naturalism in Gothic sculpture and painting (1918 )
• The mystery of the art of the brothers van Eyck (1904 )
• Art history as cultural history, Munich ( 1924)
• History of Italian Art in the Age of the Renaissance, Vol 2 ( 1927-1928 )
• Collected Essays (1929 )

Appreciation

1924 named to the Dvorakgasse in Vienna Hietzing his honor.