Saint Maurice (Master Theodoric)

Saint Maurice (Latin: Mauritius) is an oil tempera on beech board painting by Bohemian painter Master Theodoric, created around 1360-1365.

The extraordinary importance of this knight in the conception of the Chapel of the Holy Cross is evidenced by the portrait's placement in the main space of the presbytery adjacent to the painting of St. George and the Bohemian patron saint St. Vitus.

The silver cross in the centre is covered with white plant tendrils, the golden surface of the shield is combined with red painting.

[1] According to a legend created in the late 4th century,[2] Saint Maurice was the commander of the Christian Theban Legion, which was allegedly slaughtered by the Roman Emperor Maximian near present-day Saint Moritz, Switzerland, when Maurice and his soldiers refused to participate in a ritual of sacrifice to pagan gods.

In 926, Henry the Fowler donated the entire Swiss canton of Aargau to the local abbey in exchange for the holy relics of Saint Maurice - spear, sword and spurs.