Painting – SALVATOR MUNDI / Remembrance of the First Mass Vrbice 1918 (First Mass Picture)

ID: s42031
Category: Paintings
Subcategory: Photographs
Location: New store

Condition: Used

Description: A first mass picture depicting the central motif of SALVATOR MUNDI (Savior of the World), an iconographic representation of Jesus Christ as the savior of humanity. The depiction of Christ with his right hand in a blessing gesture is inspired by works of Renaissance masters such as Leonardo da Vinci. This is a memento of the first holy mass of the newly ordained priest Rudolf Motz, who is referred to as "Primizant" (First Mass Celebrant). The first mass (primice) was celebrated in the village of Vrbice (German: Wrbitz) on June 29, 1918. The picture contains the texts: "SALVATOR MUNDI", "ANDENKEN AN MEIN ERSTES HEILIGES MESOPFER" (Remembrance of my first holy sacrifice of the mass), "Dargebracht in Wrbitz am 29. Juni 1918." (Presented in Wrbitz on June 29, 1918.) and "Rudolf Motz, Primiziant." (Rudolf Motz, First Mass Celebrant.). Furthermore, there are signatures "Jos. Ubertsberger, Photographie 1917" and "Max Renner, München". The photograph was taken by Jos. Ubertsberger in 1917 and published by Max Renner in Munich. The historical context reveals that the village of Vrbice (Wrbitz) is located in the Tachov district, and in 1918, it was part of the Sudetenland with a predominantly German-speaking population. The date June 1918 falls within the last months of World War I, shortly before the establishment of Czechoslovakia. Similar first mass pictures were common at that time and were distributed to participants of the ceremony as a religious memento. The paper shows stains and spots. The item is set in a period, likely wooden frame with a decorative inner border. The back of the frame is partially damaged with a torn paper backing.