In accordance with the latest researches this Diploma Thesis is not only focused on the general development of individual collections but deals with investigation of individual aspects of a particular example. The picture collection that was used for this purpose can be found within the yard of Humprecht Jan Černín from Chudenice and dates from the second half of the 17th century. Primarily, the Diploma Thesis strives to get hold of those aspects that influenced the relation of Humprecht Jan Černín to fine art, mainly in term of economic and social background including his personality traits. It concentrates on such events that awakened his interest in fine arts, for example education, effort to improve and consolidate his social position or effort to continue in the tradition of his ancestors.

The paper aims on the cultural life of Francis Matthew Böhmb (1722- 1750), a native of Lubenec (Bohemia), Superior General of the Order of Crusaders with the Red Star in Prague. The Grand Master of the Order took the vows under the rule of sophisticated, erudite lawyer Grandmaster Martin Constantine Beinlich and in the second half of the 17th century tread in the steps of the Restorer of the Order, George Ignatius Pospichal. Sophisticated Böhmb became parish priest in Carlsbad firs. It was in 1720 when the General Prior called him to Prague as a Prior and after Beinlich's death was, on the feast of St. Agnes in March 2, 1722, unanimously elected Grand Master. Thesis followed particularly the cultural activities of the forenamed prelate, in the time of the day-to-day duties of the convent ad Pedem Pontis. It was Beinlich, begining to negotiate an extended Order range beyond the borders of the Czech Kingdom, however it was Böhmb's duty to realize this idea when, in 1723, he installed the Knights of the Cross in Bratislava (Pressburg), and ten years after, in Vienna. In Bratislava he let to build a new commendam's hospital there, as in Vienna, where he used the newly erected prestigious church of St. Charles Borromeo. At home he, in the thirties of the 18th century, let the church of St. Mary...

The diploma thesis maps the activity of the Zátka family, a significant family from České Budějovice, in the cultural sphere. A view on atmosphere of 19th century and the beginning of 20th century will be presented via selected members of this family (Hynek, August and Vlastislav Zátka). The roots of their extended family will be summarized with emphasis on their role as founders and patrons in founding particular Czech organizations, companies and associations. The first part focuses on Zátkas' impulses and activities in cultural, political and economic sphere. The second part is dedicated to various family monuments, for example buildings (family mansions), statues or collecting activities.

The main goal of this diploma thesis was to introduce the personality of Kryštof Popel younger of Lobkowicz (1549−1609) based on his diaries, which came from the years 1602−1604. The edition of these diaries completes the whole thesis. Topics of the chapters are based on notes by Kryštof - they inform us about Lobkowicz's private and public life, and also about his patronage. The presented text also allows the reader to look into everyday life of the nobility, which took place in Prague palaces at the beginning of the seventeenth century.

The dissertation inquires into the participation of the historic aristocracy in the agency of the Society of the patriotic friends of arts and the Association of fine arts. On the basis of an analysis of the annual reports of both of the institutions a survey of selected aristocratic contributors and donators of works of art will be made. In addition to this, the dissertation focuses on several of the more or less noted aristocratic members of the named institutions. In this respect a form of their interest in collecting of artworks and in art patronage, shortly {--} in their virtu, will also be partly dealt with. As an introduction to the subject the survey is preceded by a text dealing with even earlier activities concerning art patronage and art collections that occured in the region of the Czech kingdom and also the Margraviate of Moravia.

of PhD Theses The Thesis is centred around the influence the Lazansky of Bukova aristocratic family had on the artistic environment in the Czech lands from the 16th to 20th century. On the background of their cultural-historical monograph, the author introduces the individual family member's construction and patronage activities, the development of their art collections and the wider context. Using the interdisciplinary research, the author con- fronts the results of his own work with the conclusions of previous researchers. He chal- lenges some of the earlier hypotheses for the Early Modern Age and draws from the untapped sources a wealth of information about the Lazansky family cultural activities in the modern history. He compares the resulting summary with the realizations of other aristocratic families in the Czech lands and in Central Europe. The author's efforts result is the first comprehensive view of the Lazansky of Bukova family in the wider context of cultural history, and in the rehabilitation of their role in artistic patronage. Keywords: Lazansky of Bukova, Marie Gabriela Lazansky, Prokop Lazansky, patronage, art collections, noble families, Manetin, Rabstejn nad Strelou, Chyse, Lubenec.

So far the history of medieval Franciscan Observance has been considered as the history of individual monasteries, or more generally as the history of disputes concerning education, culture and nationality. The aim of the present dissertation is to describe the history in terms of cultural history, to analyze wider issues of architecture regarding monastic buildings of the last big monastic community of The Middle Ages, to describe them and evaluate. The basic structure of the dissertation consists of monographic chapters monitoring the history and building development of fifteen preserved and thirteen extinct monasteries in territory of the Czech monastic province (Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia and Upper Lusatia). The catalogue part is introduced by chapters summarizing the historical context of Franciscan Observants' activities within a short period between the second half of the 15th century and the first half of the 16th century, during which the Observants of the Czech province experienced both the stage of raise and decay. The history of the order is then followed by an essay on the rules of the process of foundation constructions of the convents, the order rules limiting artwork and mainly the character of the order architecture. Key words Franciscan Observants, Late Gothic Architecture,...