Zvolenský zámok, Zvolen
Curator: Dušan Buran, Bernadett Grasl, Melinda Kiss
One of the most active restorers of the second half of 19th century was the painter Franz Storno (1821-1907) from Sopron.
He left in Slovakia a number of remarkable realizations of his own architectonical or artistic layouts, but also a number of restored works and repaintings, mainly from the medieval wall painting and architecture.
Frantz Storno senior and also his sons Frantz Storn junior and Koloman Storno restored the following objects and wall paintings:
-Wall paintings of the parish Church of St. Jakub in Levoča
-Wall paintings in the Church of St. Martin in Martin
-Wall paintings in the Church of St. John the Baptist in Rimavské Janovce
-The palace Church of St. Katarina in Kremnica
-The Benedictine monastery Church of St. Benedict in Hronský Beňadik
-The decoration of the interior of the parish Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Banská Bystrica
-The decoration of the interior of the Chapel of Zápoľský in the episcopal Church of St. Martin in Spišská Kapitula; and other layouts and realizations, mostly in Nitra, Skalica, Banská Bystica, and other cities.
The activity of Storno does not just refer to area of today's Slovakia, not even to the area of then Hungary Empire. The generous architectural projects, layouts of the historical interior equipments, and his own altar paintings, stained glass or liturgical objects and, finally, the restoration of the medieval monumental paintings present Storno as an extremely creative artist. On the other hand, the impressive academic plans of the realized, but mainly many unrealized buildings and interior illustrate the scope of the rational, in particular formally consistent architect - although, Storno did not have academic education.
Methodically Storno in the reconstruction of the historical material came out from the basis called "stylishly appropriate restoration," in which the authentic value of the monument should be grateful for. In addition, the detailed graphic documentation of Frantz Storno served as the basic documents to the works of significant personalities of Hungarian art historians (Imre Henszelmann, Flóris Rómer, etc.)
The first exhibition of the works of this important representative of culture of historicism was prepared in cooperation with the Museum in Sopron, which manages the rich estate of the artist and his family. At the exhibition more than 120 exhibits are going to be presented; besides the focal plans and drawings for the renovation of the buildings of already mentioned Slovak localities, several Storno's sketchbooks and the collection of unique photographs of Hronský Beňadik and Kremnica are displayed.
