©museum of decorative arts in prague, collection of...

©Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Collection of Garnet Jewelry, c. 1875-1899, base metal and bohemian garnets, Photograph by Gabriel Urbánek

2©Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Karlštejn treasure – Garment Decorations and Clasps, c. 1375-1399, Photograph by Gabriel Urbánek

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Masterpieces from the Museum of Decorative Arts in

Prague presents the most remarkable objects from the

Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, many of which

are rarely seen outside of Europe. The exhibition

includes selections from its departments of glass,

ceramics and porcelain; prints and photography;

furniture and woodwork; metalwork and jewelry;

clocks and watches; and textiles, fashion, and

toys. Conceived as a history of the decorative arts,

the exhibition presents the broad spectrum and

importance of this Museum’s holdings collected

since its establishment in 1885. The unique history of

Prague, and the Czech Lands at large, allowed for a

variety of European influences on its material culture

which are reflected in the exemplary pieces included in

this presentation.

4©Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Covered Goblet, Workshop of Daniel and Ignác Preissler, c. 1720, colorless glass. Photograph by Gabriel Urbánek

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Showcasing the superb craftmanship of approximately

300 objects, Masterpieces presents the evolution of

arts and crafts, and the history of art collecting in the

Czech Lands and other countries of Europe in five

distinct eras: the Gothic, the Renaissance, the Baroque,

the 19th century and the 20th century. Historically, the

term “masterpiece” referred to a product made by an

apprentice to complete his training and to demonstrate

that he had learned the necessary practical skills.

Once an evaluating committee approved his product,

he was granted the title “Master” and permission to

independently practice his trade. Today we understand

the term to mean the apotheosis of a craft. This

exhibition will display these masterpieces in a range of

media providing an overview of European decorative

arts.

©Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Pedestaled Bowl- Josef and His Brothers in Egypt, Baldassare Manara, assigned, c. 1535, painted with high gloss paints. Photograph by Gabriel Urbánek

©Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Folding screen, Rudolph Schlattauer, c. 1910, wool, cotton, wood. Photograph by Gabriel Urbánek

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©Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Door Lock from Šitkovský watermill, c. 1700, iron and brass. Photograph by Gabriel Urbánek

©Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Pavel Janák, Prague Art Workshops, Chair, 1911–12, oak veneer. Photograph by Gabriel Urbánek

©Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Kettle, c. 1593, hard stoneware with salt glazing and relief décor. Photograph by Gabriel Urbánek

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The GothicDuring the mid 14th century, or the Late Gothic period,

when centralized monarchies were emerging in

Europe, Czech Lands witnessed the ascension of the

Luxembourg dynasty to the Bohemian throne and the

election of Charles IV as Holy Roman Emperor. The

reign of Charles IV (1346–1378) saw the consolidation

of the state, the flourishing of crafts, the founding

of Prague’s university, the construction of St. Vitus

Cathedral, the establishment of Prague’s New Town,

and other important achievements. The objects dating

from this period rank among the oldest items in the

Museum’s holdings. Works made of wood, glass and

base metals, and book bindings, along with selected

items from the “Karlštejn Treasure” – a set of medieval

clothing accessories – are displayed in this section.

The RenaissanceThe onset of the Renaissance period in the Czech

Lands coincided with the beginning of the reign of

Ferdinand I of the Habsburg dynasty, who ascended

the Bohemian throne in 1526, and with the capital’s

further development under the rule of Rudolf II, Holy

Roman Emperor, who transferred his imperial court

from Vienna to Prague (1583–1612). The second part

of the exhibition highlights the magnificent flourishing

of the arts and crafts, associated with the creation of

extensive aristocratic collections in the form of art and

curiosity cabinets. This period was one of the most

important in the history of the decorative arts and art

collecting in Central Europe as a whole. Among the

objects on display are superbly crafted works produced

at the Prague court of Emperor Rudolf II, including

mosaic pictures made of semiprecious stone (pietre

dure) in the workshop of Giovanni Castrucci, a master

of Florentine mosaic. No less outstanding, in terms of

quality and craftsmanship, are the examples of carved

and inlaid furniture, Venetian glass goblets, fragments

of 15th- and 16th-century fabrics, and copper

engravings reproducing earlier prints.

The BaroqueThe exhibition’s third section examines the decorative

arts of the 17th and 18th centuries. The onset of the

Baroque style is associated with the re-Catholicization

of the Czech Lands after 1620, when Bohemia was

annexed to the Austrian Empire as confiscated property.

The Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) brought general

devastation, and it took several decades before Europe

began to recover in from its aftermath. In the late 17th

century, economic prosperity re-emerged and the arts

thrived. Following this, in the late 17th and early 18th

centuries, monasteries arose as centers of learning,

further strengthening the Catholic Church. During this

period, Prague became an important European center

of artistic creativity, a magnet that attracted foreign

artists and craftsmen of every trade, with with intensity

similar to that of Rudolf II. The period of the 17th and

18th centuries is represented by collections of Meissen

porcelain, jewelry, glassware, ceramics, metalware, lace,

furniture, and wooden objects manufactured using

the technique of “Eger relief intarsia,” which involves

the use of inlaid wood to create a three-dimensional

appearance.

8©Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Summer dress, c.1905, cloth and machine lace. Photograph by Gabriel Urbánek

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The Nineteenth Century (Neoclassicism, Empire Style, Biedermeier, Historical Revival Styles)

Decorative objects of the Biedermeier period reflect

the Czech Lands’ peaceful development following the

Napoleonic Wars up to the revolutionary year 1848,

and are the highlight of this section of the exhibition.

Attention is also given to the Historical Revival trends

in the decorative arts of the second half of the 19th

century, associated with Czech society’s nascent

emancipation movement. This section includes small

furniture items manufactured by master craftsmen, and

the first furniture factories (e. g., Thonet company).

Other notable tableware and decorative pieces made

of cast iron, engraved and painted glass, porcelain,

hand-colored prints, and other objects. Among the first

artifacts in the holdings of decorative art museums,

electrotype copies of historical items in this display

merit note. These pieces were of importance in

the training and inspiration of art students. Textile

production of the period is well represented in this

section, as is Bohemian garnet jewelry.

The Twentieth Century(Art Nouveau, Cubism, Art Deco, Function)

The fifth and final section focuses on the period up

to 1918, when the Czech Lands were under Austro-

Hungarian rule. During this time the arts and culture

were characterized by the emergence of modern

artistic tendencies and movements, such as the Art

Nouveau and Cubism. The First World War ended

in the disintegration of Austria-Hungary and the

establishment of an independent, multinational

Czechoslovak state. Czechoslovakia’s art and

architecture were molded by attempts to codify a

national style (Art Deco, Classical Revival) on the one

hand, and by the influence of international trends on

the other (Functionalism, Abstract Art). This section

presents artworks from the periods of Art Nouveau,

Czech Cubism, Art Deco and Functionalism until 1939, a

year that marked a major turning point in history.

The superb Art Nouveau displays include remarkable

work by Alphonse Mucha (1860–1939), professor of

the School of Applied Arts in Prague, and many others.

The glass and ceramics collection includes objects

produced by the Czech firm Johann Lötz-Witwe

Glassworks in Klášterský Mlýn (Klostermühle) and the

Harrach Glassworks (Gräflich Harrachsche Glasfabrik)

in Nový Svět (Neuwelt). The display devoted to the

Cubist style includes furniture and ceramics designed

by architects Josef Gočár (1880–1945) and Pavel

Janák (1882–1956), as well as work in other media.

Other Czech artists represented are Vlastislav Hofman

(1884–1964) and Rudolf Stockar (1866–1957). The

Art Deco style is exemplified by the creative output

of Jaroslav Horejc (1886–1983) and a selection of

photographs by František Drtikol (1883–1961). The

Functionalist period is represented by a series of

advertising photographs by Josef Sudek (1896–1976),

porcelain designed by Ladislav Sutnar (1897-1976), and

other objects.

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©Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Vase, c. 1600, glass and gilding. Photograph by Gabriel Urbánek

©Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Cup with a Galley on the Lid, early 17th century, silver. Photograph by Gabriel Urbánek

©Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Small Beer Mug with a Pewter lid, c. 1600, faience painted with high glass paints. Photograph by Gabriel Urbánek

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About The MuseumThe establishment of the Museum of Decorative Arts

in Prague in 1885 reflected the increasing cultural

and educational importance of the Crown Lands of

Bohemia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

At the time artists, theorists, and the general public

were concerned with the unintended effects on

craftsmanship caused by the Industral Revolution. This

apprehension, as well as the inspiration provided by

a similar institution—the South Kensington Museum

(now Victoria and Albert Museum), which opened in

London in 1852—led to the founding of this museum

dedicated to the decorative arts. Between 1897 and

1900, the building, designed by the architect Josef

Schulz, was constructed on a plot of land located

between the Old Jewish Cemetery and a street on the

edge of Josefov quarter.

Since its establishment, the Museum of Decorative Arts

in Prague has focused on general and applied research

in the fields of Czech and foreign decorative arts,

design, books, photography, and clothing. The Museum

administers, researches and processes art collections,

and presents its findings in specialized publications,

short- and long-term exhibitions, lectures, and other

educational activities. The Museum is one of the most

prominent state-subsidized cultural institutions in

the Czech Republic, with more than 250,000 items in

its holdings. The institution plays an important role in

supporting contemporary applied art and design, while

also closely collaborating with vocational schools.

Besides its local exhibition projects, the Museum puts

considerable emphasis on presenting its collections

abroad.

A fully illustrated catalogue published by IA&A will

accompany the exhibition. Masterpieces from the

Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague is organized

by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC in

collaboration with the Museum of Decorative Arts in

Prague.

© Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Detail of Small Chest, Limoges, 16th century, wood and enamel on copper. Photograph by Gabriel Urbánek

12©Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Small Chest, Limoges, 16th century, wood and enamel on copper. Photograph by Gabriel Urbánek

EXHIBITION SPECIFICATIONSNumber of Works:Approximately 300 works

Organized by:The Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, under the guidance of Michal Stříbrný

Curators:Helena Brožková, Jiří Fronek, Konstantina Hlaváčková, Milan Hlaveš, Daniela Karasová, Helena Koenigsmarková, Petra Matějovičová, Marie Míčová, Jan Mlčoch, Jan Schöttner, Michal Stříbrný, Petr Štembera, Eva Uchalová, Lucie Vlčková, Radim Vondráček

Project coordinators:Dušan Seidl, Head of Department of Presentation Veronika Mědílková, Manager, Department of Collection Services

Requirements:High security, approximately 5,000 square feet

Participation Fee:Please inquire

Shipping:IA&A makes all arrangements; exhibitors pay outgoing shipping costs within the contiguous U.S.

Booking Period: 12 weeks

Tour: Fall 2018 – Fall 2020

Publication:Exhibition Catalogue

Contact:Lindsay [email protected]

©museum of decorative arts in prague, collection of...

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