Lithuanian Art Fund

Icones familiae ducalis Radivilianae [...] LM-84

Icones familiae ducalis Radivilianae [...] LM-84

Author: Wöbe Martinus Franciscus

Title: Icones familiae ducalis Radivilianae ex originalibus in Gazophylacio Ordinationis ab antiquo servatis picturis desumptae. Inscriptionibus historico-genealogicis ex documentis authenticis compendiose illustratae, anno 1346 ad 1758. Deductae.

Title in English: Wöbe Martinus Franciscus / Images of the Family of Dukes Radvila, Selected from Original Paintings Long Kept in the Treasury of the Ordynacja. Briefly Illustrated by Historical Genealogical Excerpts from Authentic Documents, Derived from 1346 to 1758.

Printed: Nesvisii in typographia privilegiata ducali Radiviliana. Collegii Societatis Jesu, 1758.

Binding: contemporary leather binding.

Graphic art portrait album “Icones familiae ducalis Radivilianae“, published in folio in 1758 in the Radvila family printing house in Nesvyžius. A unique publication, depicting the Radvila family in its entirety, from the legendary ancestor Vaišunda (1346) to Karolis Stanislovas Radvila (1758) in 165 brass plates. The album is a graphic replication of the Radvila portrait collection in the portrait gallery of Nesvyžius. Judging from the engraving technique, only 70 % of the images are original, while others were made from reconstructed portraits. The author of the inscriptions (texts commenting on each depicted person’s name, title, and merits, as well as date of birth and death) and the laudatory dedication to the purchaser Mykolas Kazimieras Radvila Žuvelė, was the court archivist Martynas Pranciškus Vobė (Marcin Franciszek Wöbe). Only 50 copies of the book were published. Very few copies of the original first edition remain up to this day (Belarusian scholars have registered seven), which makes them a genuine bibliographic rarity. The sole copy of the Radvila portrait album, preserved in the National Library of Lithuania, is valuable not only for its iconographic and bibliographic significance, but also for its historical importance.

Reference: Misiūnienė, Jadvyga. Kunigaikščių Radvilų giminės portretų albumas. - Tarp knygų. 2010, Nr. 10.

Kristupas Radvila Našlaitėlis, nobleman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, began a collection of valuables, weapons, started a library and a portrait gallery, which included the portraits of both his ancestors and living family members. Later the gallery was expanded when portraits from collections owned by other family members reached the Radvilas of Nesvyžius. The gallery was also expanded during the period of Mikalojus Kazimieras Radvila Žuvelė. The creation of a monumental family portrait album is considered to be one of his great achievements. The brass plates for the album were created by Hiršas Leibovičius (1700 - 1770), one of the most famous artists of the mid.18th century in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, who was helped by his father Leiba Zuskelovičius and other, unknown artists. The album “Icones familiae ducalis Radivilianae” was published in Nesvyžius in 1758. It is comprised by 165 brass plate copies of the portraits preserved in the portrait gallery of Nesvyžius. Engraved in ovals, the portraits reconstruct the person’s appearance and their luxurious clothing. The representative appearance highlights the dignity of the person.

Reference: Gasiūnas, Vladas. XIX a. Lietuvos grafika. Vilnius: Mokslo ir encklopedijų leidybos institutas, 2007, p. 11.; Bairašauskaitė, Tamara. Nesenstantis praeities paminklas. Iš: Kotlubajus, Edvardas. Radvilos: Nesvyžiaus giminės portretai / M. Starkmano medžio raižiniai. Vilnius: Mintis, 1995, p. 8.

Images of the Family of Dukes Radziwiłł is an album of graphic portraits, composed of 165 copies of the copper engravings from the Gallery of Nesvyžius. The collection of family portraits was started by Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł the Orphan (1549–1616), who kept the portraits in his castle. Later the gallery was expanded with portraits from the collections of other members of the family. The Gallery of Nesvyžius was greatly expanded during the ruling of Voivode of Vilnius and Hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Michał Kazimierz Rybeńko Radziwiłł (1702–1762). The assembly of the album is attributed to him. The author of the panegyric, dedication to Michał Kazimierz Rybeńko Radziwiłł, and text commentaries is the Nesvyžiai Castle archivist Martynas Pranciškus Viobė. The copper engravings for the album were created by the court artist Herszek Leibowicz (1700–1770) and other court artists. The album contains the ex libris of Rybeńko Radziwiłł, which was created by Leibowicz. The cover is decorated with a super ex libris that probably belonged to the library of Castellan of Vilnius and Voivode Michał Hieronim Radziwiłł (1744–1831). The album was printed in the Jesuit printing house of Nesvyžius with a print run of only 50 copies.

Reference: "The Collection of Lawyer Jaunius Gumbis: the Past Preserved in Books". Museum and Collector - 7. Vilnius: National Museum of Lithuania, 2018, p. 90.

Printed: "The Collection of Lawyer Jaunius Gumbis: the Past Preserved in Books". Museum and Collector - 7. Vilnius: National Museum of Lithuania, 2018, p. 90-99.

Exhibitions: "The Collection of Lawyer Jaunius Gumbis: the Past Preserved in Books", September 3, 2018 – October 21, 2018.

Other Radvilas property signs in Nesvizh. The only book in the group in question not marked with the Nesvizh Castle Library's ex-library is an album of images of the Radvila family, Icones familiae ducalis Radivilianae, published in 1758 in the Jesuit printing house in Nesvizh in folio (Annex, item 12). It is probably the most important publication of this printing house, which glorifies the Radvilas family of Lithuanian nobility. In 165 copper engravings, it graphically reproduces the gallery of portraits of the Radvilas, which was located in the Nesvizh castle. The album was commissioned and published by Mykolas Kazimieras Radvila Žuvelė, the Governor of Vilnius and Grand Hetman of the GDL; the portrait engravings were made by Hirš Leibovičius, the engraver of Nesvizh, and the book was compiled and engraved by Martynas Franciscus Wobbe, the archivist of the manor. Icones familiae ducalis Radivilianae was published in a very small edition (50 copies) and is currently a great bibliographical rarity, with only nine copies known to us. However, the provenance value of the copy in question from the collection of Gumbis is much higher. Until now, it has been attributed to the X Order of Kletsk and to the Vilnius governor Michael Jerome Radvila (1744-1831), who is infamous in the history of the ATR.

Suspecting the original affiliation of the Radvila image album to the Library of the Radvila Order of Nesvizh, extensive provenance research was initiated. The results exceeded expectations. It is the most valuable copy of the entire edition of Icones familiae ducalis Radivilianae (Figs. 7-8), which belonged to the very commissioner and publisher of the album, the Duke of Vilnius, Michael Casimir Radvila Žuvele. This is evidenced by his handwritten inscription on the title page of the book "MCXR". The last page, depicting a portrait engraving of his son Karolis Stanislovas Mielasis Pone (1734-1790), preserves a long provenance inscription, probably in the handwriting of the Nesvizh librarian (archivist). This entry indicates that the date of 18 September 1786 is the date of the death of the artist. His brother Jeronimas Vincentas (1759-1786), Grand Chamberlain of Lithuania, died in Nesvizh in the presence of Duke Karol Stanislovas, the Duke of Vilnius, leaving his son Dominykas (1786-1813), a son of only eight weeks, the future XI of Nesvizh, at Biala Castle. Judging by the date of the inscription, Bibikov failed to take this copy to St Petersburg in 1772. After Karol Stanislaw the owner of the Dear Sir album was probably Marta Trembicka, wife of his uncle, Martynas Mikalojus Radvila (1705-1782), 8th Order of Klecko, Grand Knight of Lithuania and one of the most formidable noblemen of the 18th century in the GDL (Marta z Trembickich Xiężna Radziwiłłowa Krajczyna Wielkiego Xięstwa Litewskiego). It is probable that after the death of the Duchess, the book was inherited by her son Michael Jerome Radvila, the last Voivode of Vilnius. He rebound the book and decorated it with his own super-exlibris (Fig. 8). This super-extraction is unknown to V. Kisarauskas. The copy of Icones familiae ducalis Radivilianae in question is of great historical value. Provenance-wise, it is an album of three Vilnius voivodes. A separate publication dedicated to this unique publication is planned once the research is completed.

Reference: Knygotyra, "Pirmosios Nesvyžiaus Radvilų ordinacijos bibliotekos paveldas Lietuvoje: naujausių tyrimų rezultatai", Jadvyga Misiūnienė, Vilnius: Vilnius University Press, vol. 83, pp. 7-35, 2024, P. 26-28.

Published: Knygotyra, "Pirmosios Nesvyžiaus Radvilų ordinacijos bibliotekos paveldas Lietuvoje: naujausių tyrimų rezultatai", Jadvyga Misiūnienė, Vilnius: Vilnius University Press, vol. 83, pp. 7-35, 2024, P. 26-28.

Exhibitions: "The Unknown World of Old Books: the Heritage of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania", Vilnius Picture Gallery, 22 November 2023 - 31 March 2024.

Photographs: Exhibition "The Unknown World of Old Books: the Heritage of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania", Vilnius Picture Gallery, 22 November 2023 - 31 March 2024.

2nd: Bishop of Samogitia Mikołaj Radziwiłł (~1496–1529).

3rd: Barbara Radziwiłł, wife of the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund Augustus (1520–1551).

4th: Duke of Biržai and Dubingiai, Grand Hetman of the Duchy of Lithuania, Chancellor, and Voivode Mikołaj Radziwiłł the Red (~1515–1584).

5th: Duke of Nesvyžius and Olyka, Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Vicegerent of Livonia, Voivode of Vilnius Mikołaj Radziwiłł the Black (1515–1565).

6th: Bishop of Vilnius, first Lithuanian Cardinal Jerzy Radziwiłł (1556–1600).

7th: Grand Marshal of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Voivode of Vilnius Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł the Orphan (1549–1616).

8th: Grand Hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Voivode of Vilnius Michał Kazimierz Rybeńko Radziwiłł (1702–1762).