The Stone sculpture in Vamberk
(the sculptor family of Mielnický)
In the Eagle Mountains stone was one of the most used building materials. In the Baroque the stone, mainly sandstone, began to be used in the artistic creation. In the eastern Bohemian region the statues were sculpted in several stone-sculptor workshops. One of the most famous was the workshop of the family Mielnický from Vamberk. The workshop with the rich production, over two hundred years old in one closed region (at least six generations of stone-sculptors). The main representatives of this family set the town and its surroundings with the valuable Baroque, Rococo and later on Empire plastic arts. On some of the stone jewels we can see mixing various construction styles in the sculpture art. In Vamberk itself the family stood about twenty statues and sculptural statues. Later on there were added at least twenty statues in various styles made by less famous authors (e. g. Harnach, academic sculptors František Bílek, Koukol, Kalvoda). A great number of the same monuments can be found in old cemeteries in Vamberk, Rychnov nad Kněžnou, Dobruška and others.
Matěj - Mates Mielnický (about 1668 - 28 December 1725) settled in this town of Vamberk near the Eagle Mountains to found the existence for himself and next generations of the family, he was the member of the Town Council. His oldest well-known work is the Maria column dated 1699 in Vamberk, part Závrší, the Maria column in the square of the town Solnice, the Maria column in the town Kostelec nad Orlicí and others.
Jan Ignác Mielnický (24 June 1702 - 19 April 1774) the oldest Matěj´s son, successor, Ondřej Decker´s journeyman - the experienced master asked Mielnický in 1736 to finish the Maria column with the sculptural statues of Czech Patrons in Dobruška. In 1740 he realized the fountain in Litomyšl, in 1735 he erected the statue of Jan Nepomucký in Vamberk, and problably also the statue of Saint Maria, the statue of Christ at the column in Tyršova street. These were followed by numerous plastic arts in the foothill of the Eagle Mountains. He was elected the burgomaster of the town, which proves his appreciated position in the town.
František Antonín Mielnický sr. (2 May 1718 - about 1780) was taught by his step-brother Ignác and had the inborn talent to draw and carve. He studied the works of the leading Prague sculptors in the mediation of the best master (probably Pacák) and above all the art of Matyáš Braun. He is the author of numerous plastic arts in the region near the Eagle Mountains; as master he supervised the journeymen when the sculptural statues of Saint Anna was realized in Vamberk (direction Doudleby). One of this most famous works is so called green cross between Rychnov nad Kněžnou and Uhřínov. Perhaps based on F. A. Mielnický´s latest designs it was created the sculptural statue called Crucifixion in the Vamberk workshop in 1780 for the village of Peklo nad Zdobnicí - probably his last valuable master piece.
Jan Josef Mielnický sr. (15 March 1741 - about 1800), Jan Ignác´s son, the founder of another family branch and successor of stone-sculpture art. The stone work did not provided sufficient all-year job for the master with several assistants and apprentices. Jan Josef probably mostly helped in the family workshop to a relative and at the same time he kept house on the inherited lands, he shared the decoration of the rococo castle in Nové Hrady by Vysoké Mýto.
František Antonín Mielnický jr. (1751 - ?) was taught by his father, his favourite style was classicism; he dedicated his native town of Vamberk a plastic art Christ in Prison (1780), the sculptural statues of Saint Anna under the church (1777). The master had no son and the political uncertainty about the Napoleon wars influenced the production of the Vamberk family of the Mielnický in the negative way.
Jan Josef Melnický jr. (23 March 1767 - 10 February 1817) worked in the family workshop, he probably engaged in the utility and technical sculptures. There is interesting information in the Vamberk Register of deaths on 10 February 1817 that Jan Melnický, born on 23 March 1768, died on 10 February 1817 „ was suddenly covered up in a rock“ the most probable there are the quarries by the Merklovice - Záměl boarder.
Karel Antonín Melnický (14 May 1770 - 1821) the successor of the family tradition, he probably realized the family Procházka tombstone at St. Barbora church. His best work is the plastic art of Virgin Maria dated 1814 in the village of Rybná nad Zdobnicí and the family Wimmer tombstone in the old cemetery in Rychnov nad Kněžnou (in 1805).
Josef Matěj Melnický (24 February 1778 - 5 August 1853), Jan Josef´s son, he was taught in the family workshop in Vamberk, the successor of the family tradition. His most important work is Pieta in the village of Kačerov dated 1803, Calvary with the Maria relief dated 1821 in Vamberk.
František Melnický (22 April 1799 - ?), Jan Josef´s son, stone sculptor, too. He created the drawings and budgets of the fountain in the Old square in Rychnov nad Kněžnou.
Karel Melnický (7 December 1803 - 14 April 1853), Josef Matěj´s son. He was taught a stone sculptor in the family workshop, left it going to look for experience and did not come back to Vamberk. In 1834 he renovated the triplet column in the Main Square in the city of Olomouc and in 1835 he opened his own workshop to make stone sculptures.
František Jan Melnický (13 November 1822 - 1 February 1876), František´s son. He left his father´s workshop and went to his uncle Karel Mielnický to the city of Olomouc, later to Vienna. He was professor Kliebert´s disciple, graduated the Emperor artistic academy. His works were awarded by many prizes. He exhibited his works in the World Exhibition in Vienna and opened a successful studio of decorative plastic arts. His statues can be found in the Emperor´s castle in Vienna, in St. Markéta Temple in Vienna. On the front wall of the Vienna railway station there are his allegories of Vienna, Brno, Budapest and Prague; he decorated the Vienna Conservatoire. Many of his works are in the countryside in Austria and Germany; he was the member of the Academy of art and the sculpture committee member.
Ernest Thomas Karl Melnitzki (4 November 1838 - 6 April 1889), the oldest Karel Melnický´s son. He learnt the craft at his father´s workshop in the city of Olomouc. He had the leading position among the sculptors and stone sculptors when St. Mořic cathedral in Olomouc was being finished. He is also an author of many tombstones of the cemetery in Olomouc.
