Czech Republic: Art of Prague
East European Art Started Here
To understand why free-spirited artists were once called bohemians, you have to visit Bohemia. Fed by. the mineral resources of the Erzgebirge, the province surrounding Prague became the first part of Eastern Europe to industrialize. The region’s wealth meant free time for art, and the discretionary income that promoted it.
Art Nouveau
Industry in nearby France and Germany meant increasing trade with these countries, and cultural cross fertilization. A new generation of Czech artists eagerly expanded upon this new French marriage of glass, ceramics and metals.
The K+K Hotel Central, near Prague’s Powder Gate, is an Art Nouveau masterpiece.
Cubism
Another French movement reached Prague shortly before WW I. The Cubism of Picasso and Braque inspired first painting, then furniture.
Art Nouveau
The Municipal House was built as a national reception center in 1905. Today it functions as a concert hall, ballroom and civic art center.
The State Opera
Originally opened in 1888 as the New German Theater, it is celebrated as an example of Neo-Rococo style.
