FRANZ KRAUSE 1833 Friedland - 1878 Leitmeritz Rudolf I. of Germany standing by the dead Ottokar II of Bohemia in the Battle on the Marchfeld Öl auf Leinwand. 114,5 x 128 cm. Signiert und datiert unten rechts 'Fr. Krause. Prag. Oil on canvas. 114.5 x 128 cm. Signed and dated lower right 'Fr. Krause. Prag. 1857'. Damaged, rest. Franz Krause studierte von 1847 bis 1859 Malerei an der Prager Akademie. In der Folge Franz Krause studied between 1847 and 1859 at the Prague Academy. Subsequently, he specialized in religious and history paintings. He pursued in particular themes of global historic significance, such as the one pictured in this scene. It shows the turning point in the Battle on the Marchfeld, 26 August 1278. The cavalry fight is considered as one of the biggest in Europe, in which the Roman-German king Rudolph I of Habsburg prevailed over Ottokar II of Bohemia, founding the dynasty of Hapsburg. Due to Rudolph`s tactical warfare, Ottokar`s army was defeated despite its superiority in heavily armed knights and Ottokar himself was killed on the battlefield. In the aftermath, the incidence was hence elevated as one of the greates combats of medieval times. Mittelalters stilisiert. Lit.: Thieme/Becker 1999, p. 462