9th session of CEFRES in-house seminar
Through the presentation of works in progress, CEFRES’s Seminar aims at raising and discussing issues about methods, approaches or concepts, in a multidisciplinary spirit, allowing everyone to confront her or his own perspectives with the research presented.

Location: CEFRES Library and online (to get the link, write to cefres[@]cefres.cz)
Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 16:30
Language: English

Speaker: Dominika DROBNÁ (CEFRES / Faculty of Arts, Comenius University, Bratislava)
Discussant: Richard BIEGEL (Department of Art History, Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Prague)

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between theory and practice in architecture in Bratislava (Prešporok, Pressburg, Pozsony) between 1770 and 1811. The subject of the research are two interconnected levels of architectural production: theoretical reflection on architecture represented by Johann Nepomuk Schauff (1757 – 1827) and the practical construction activities of the Bratislava guild of bricklayers and stonemasons, exemplified by Baumeister Matthäus Walch (1732 – 1783). The paper examines how architectural thinking and professional knowledge formed in educational institutions and theoretical texts were reflected in the building practice of the city, what role local craft and professional structures played in this process, and how the city’s architecture was reflected in theoretical texts.

The architectural theory of the period under review, as presented in the texts of Johann Nepomuk Schauff, is a fundamental source for understanding the architectural thinking of the time in Bratislava and in the broader context of the Kingdom of Hungary. The period under study is closely linked to the political and social changes of the second half of the 18th century, which were influenced by the reform policies of Maria Theresa and Joseph II. The Theresian and Josephine reforms affected many areas of social life, including education, the church, the economy, and building administration. The new education system introduced by the school regulations and Ratio educationis of 1777 was of fundamental importance. Within this framework, normal schools were established, including the Normalschule in Bratislava, where drawing became an important part of the curriculum. It was in this environment that Johann Nepomuk Schauff worked as a drawing teacher. Through his teaching activities, he contributed to the training of future craftsmen – bricklayers and stonemasons, who subsequently became involved in the city’s construction projects. At the same time, he developed his theoretical reflections on architecture, art, and education.

Architectural practice during this period was also influenced by the reorganization of building administration in the Habsburg Monarchy. Institutions such as the Hofbauamt, the Building Office of the Hungarian Royal Chamber, and later the Court Building Directorate in Vienna and its Hungarian branch played an important role. Through these institutions, construction activity was systematically managed and controlled, which was also reflected in the urban and architectural development of Bratislava. In the last third of the 18th century, the city developed significantly, aided by the intervention in the city fortifications carried out according to the design of Franz Anton Hillebrandt. The emergence of new city districts and the arrival of the nobility led to increased demand for representative architecture, including city palaces, public buildings, and sacred structures. Not only Viennese architects were involved in the construction of these buildings, but also local members of the Bratislava guild of bricklayers and stonemasons. They often acted as master builders, or Baumeister, who, in addition to constructing buildings, also took on the role of architect. The article therefore pays special attention to Matthäus Walch (but not only him) as a representative of this professional group and as an example of architectural practice in Bratislava. An important question for the period under review is also its stylistic classification.