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Abstract
The polychromed figure of St Wenceslas in the St Wenceslas chapel, St Vitus Cathedral, Prague, Czech Republic, is undoubtedly the most significant Bohemian stone sculpture. This iconic Gothic representation of the principal Czech patron saint was commissioned by Emperor Charles IV and executed by Peter Parler in 1372–1373. Issues regarding authorship, original placement, original appearance, and the materials used have been much debated, mostly among art historians, but the sculpture has not previously been the subject of any detailed technical examination. Prior to preventive conservation, comprehensive documentation and technical examination produced new information on the original polychromy (now concealed), shedding light on a possible original location, resolving doubts about the stone type, and supporting the hypothesis that the sculptor's stone mark on the plinth of the sculpture was carved by Parler himself.
Acknowledgements
The authors are deeply grateful to Dr Eliška Fučíková for the opportunity to study this fascinating object. They thank colleagues whose substantial involvement made this research possible, especially acad.rest. Martin Martan, Dr Zdenek Štaffen, Dr Ivana Kopecká, Dr Mirka Novotná, Dr Václav Pitthard, and Prof. Karel Pavelka.