Astronomical Clock Prague: Changed figures on the astronomical clock. The conservationists knew about it, says the municipality. The National Monuments Institute refuses
For changes to a copy of the calendar plate of the painter Josef Mánes (1820-1871) in the lower part of the astronomical clock Milan Patka, a member of the Club for Old Prague, pointed out. A copy of the national cultural monument, which the restorer Stanislav Jirčík interpreted in his own way, is already being assessed by experts from the Ministry of Culture. The municipality does not see a problem in it. “The final look of the painting can be debatable. In the opinion of the Department of Monument Care, the original concept and character of the work have been preserved, “Said its spokesman Vít Hofman. According to him, Prague regularly checked the creation of a copy of the calendar and, according to the head of the municipal conservationists, Jiří Skalický, even in the presence of state conservationists. But they claim that they were not involved in the creation of Jirčík’s work. “The relevant NPÚ experts were not informed during the work about the making of the copyand they could not influence its final form in any way, as they saw only the final result, “said NPÚ spokeswoman Klára Veberová.
They wanted the exact size and copy of the painting
In 2016, the National Monuments Institute issued an expert opinion on the reconstruction of the Old Town Hall building. It recommends work procedures in it. “It is proposed to make a new plate in the exact size of the original from Mánes and to make a new copy of the painting,” it says in connection with the correction of the calendar. The municipal conservationists then used it to make decisions related to the repair of the building.
Why didn’t they check it?
Doesn’t copy matter? The NPÚ considers a copy of the calendar by Stanislav Jirčík to be unsuccessful. Still, he didn’t need to remake it when it was finished. why? “The essence of monument care is preservation of the original Mánes plate, which is stored in the Museum of the Capital City of Prague. For this reason, the National Monuments Institute did not require the redesign of Jiřčík’s copy, as this is not a problem in terms of monument care, ”explained Klára Veberová.
Milan Patka: Manes would not tolerate change
A different opinion than the NPÚ is Milan Patka, who deals with the history of the astronomical clock and in the 1970s appears in the repair of its astronomical part. He just pointed out the unsuccessful painting. “Jirčík’s copy hangs on the astronomical clock, which is a world-famous national cultural monument, and that is how we should treat it. Tourists admire it there and not in the museum, where they go to a minimum. In addition, it is only visible there, “he explained. In addition, according to him, Josef Mánes was known as an artist of a flammable nature who could not stand his work on others. “Mánes is a Czech painting legend and he no longer lives to defend himself. We should respect all his wishes, “he said.
Do you know that…
Several characters on the Manes calendar painted according to his contemporaries. In the month of January, for example, we can meet the biologist Jan Evangelista Purkyně (1787-1869) or the young painter Karel Purkyně (1834 -1868) as a young man.
Calendar board
* The calendar or monthly was created by Josef Mánes for the then restored Old Town Astronomical Clock in 1866.
* He wanted to express the typical activities of the medieval countryside.
* Around the perimeter of the calendar board is a narrow intermediate circle with 365 rays, written calendar data in the cut for each month. Inside are the numbers of the days of the month and the so-called Sunday number.
* The monthly contains medallions with scenes characteristic of 12 months, as well as depictions of the zodiac.
* The debatable copy of the calendar is the second controlled by Mánes’ original.
Wooden statues of Lakomka, Marnivka, Smrtka and Turk have disappeared from the Old Town Astronomical Clock, and it is necessary to restore the lacquer. (November 24, 2021)
Author: MHMP