Old castle chapel
In this room which served as the castle chapel until 1614, the most important piece of art is the fresco dating from the year 1507. It is the work of the artist Hans Huber, father of the well-known Passau court painter Wolf Huber.
The fresco shows events from the Old Testament including ‘Adam & Eve’, ‘Samson & Delilah’ and ‘Samson’s Idolatry’. At the apex of the arch we can see ‘Maria Lactans’ (Mary breast-feeding Jesus), in front of her a kneeling donator. On top of the arch is depicted ‘Christ Judge of the World’ (or Ruler of the World), enthroned on a rainbow. Next to him the instruments of passion (crown of thorns, cross, pierced hands and feet) are shown.
Furthermore, the room is dominated by a very large Altar piece, a painting of the Virgin Mary & child and the supporting saints St. John Nepomuk and St. Martin. The picture was painted by Johann Josef Kauffmann (1707-1782) from the Bregenzerwald. He was the father of the famous artist Angelika Kauffmann (1741-1807).
In the window alcove is a picture of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, dated 1914, by Florus Scheel (the Elder) who was a founder of the museum. St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen (1577-1622), the ‘unofficial’ patron saint of Feldkirch was a Capuchin monk and for several years guardian of the Capuchin monastery in Feldkirch. During the turmoil of the religious wars in Graubünden, southern Switzerland, Fidelis was murdered in Seewis/Prätigau. To this day, he is very much honoured in Feldkirch.