The Prague leadership approved the transfer of the Slavonic Epic to Moravský Krumlov – ČT24 – Czech Television
At present, a cycle of twenty canvases is in the depository of the Gallery of the Capital City. In the near future, he should move to the newly renovated premises of the chateau in Moravský Krumlov for five years. “The city of Moravský Krumlov fulfilled the conditions that the capital city of Prague gave us to lend him a set of works, Slavic Epic. The conditions were set very precisely, “said councilor Hana Třeštíková (Prague herself). The loan council could decide on the loan agreement on Thursday.
The condition of the loan was the modification of the space, which the local town hall has already done. Among the requirements were, for example, the necessary technical equipment, special insurance and the premises had to be a special fire protection system or security device. “Strict measurements of the space were made with respect to the climate. The same lighting, “Třeštíková described.
Due to the conditions, Moravský Krumlov had to repair the castle for 58 million. Of this, 43 million was covered by subsidies from the state, ten more million by the region and the rest of the city.
Třeštíková did not want to say the exact date of moving the canvases from Prague to Moravský Krumlov with reference to security. “When they are moved and partially exhibited, we would like to introduce the journalists to them by the specific date of the opening of the exhibition,” she added.
According to the mayor of Moravský Krumlov, Tomáš Třetina (TOP 09), the works will not be transported at once. “It will be three times, but it’s not the horizon of the moon, but two to three weeks, a maximum of four. We want to have an epic as soon as possible, “said the mayor. According to him, the works could be seen in July.
Mucha’s granddaughter prefers Zbraslav
The city management is negotiating with Crestyl that the canvases would be exhibited for 25 years after returning to Prague in the Savarin Palace on Wenceslas Square. In the meantime, Prague would build a separate building for the epic, which was Mucha’s condition in donating the city’s canvases. One of the heirs, Mucha’s granddaughter Jarmila Mucha Plocková, does not agree with the placement in Savarin. He prefers a temporary location in the castle in Zbraslav.
The first 11 canvases of the epic were exhibited in the Prague Clementinum in 1919, and from 1920 to 1921 they reaped success at exhibitions in New York and Chicago. The whole epic was first exhibited in 1928 in the Trade Fair Palace in Prague and the paintings came under the administration of the Gallery of the Capital City of Prague. In 1933, the canvases were rolled up and deposited in a depository.
It was not until 1963 that it was exhibited again at the castle in Moravský Krumlov. More than ten years ago, the former Prague leadership had them taken away, which was then justified by councilors at the poor condition of the Moravian-Krumlov chateau, which threatened the works. After that, she was alternately in the Trade Fair Palace in Prague, in a depository or on loan abroad.