Exhibitions - January 2015

Looking Back at the 90th Anniversary of Polish Studies in Prague
January 28 – March 7, 2015

The first Department of Polish Studies in the Czech lands was established at Charles University in Prague more then 90 years ago. The bilingual Czech and Polish exhibition presents history of Prague Polish Studies from the establishment of the indipendent department in 1923 up to the present. It features the life and work of the eminent personalities, lecturers and graduates. Among them we should mention the first professor Marian Szyjkowski, outstanding comparative linguist Karel Krejčí, Otakar Bartoš, Luboš Řeháček, Theodor Bešta, Jan Petr or lecturer Iza Šaunová, who educated generations of Czech translators from Polish. The exhibition was organised by the Department of Central European Studies, Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Prague, in association with the Polish Institute, Prague, on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Department. Exhibits include also archival photographs and materials.

Exhibition corridor, ground floor, Monday to Saturday:  9 am – 7 pm

The Codex of Vyšehrad
January 31 – February 1, 2015

Photogallery

The Codex of Vyšehrad is a unique manuscript of the Romanesque time. It is the oldest manuscript document related to the Czech environment by the circumstances of its origin that was the coronation of Prince Vratislav II the first King of Bohemia on July 15, 1086. The Vyšehrad Codex is therefore sometimes also called the Coronation Gospels of Vartislav II. or the Coronation Codex. Vratislav II included this book in his collections kept at Vyšehrad, where he resided, hence its name of Vyšehrad.
The manuscript includes one hundred and eight parchment folios, out of which twenty six pages are illuminated with portraits of the Evangelists, the genealogy of Jesus Christ, four types from the Old Testament, and Christological cycle of twenty nine scenes. The initial D on folio 68r, depicting the King Vratislav on the throne, initiates reading on the Day of St. Wenceslas, the Czech Patron Saint. This fact proves the Bohemical character of the document.

The two-day exhibition will feature the original Codex of Vyšehrad as well as its facsimile that will be available for viewing with the help of an assisstant. Admission free.

Mirror Chapel, Klementinum, Saturday: 7 am-8 pm, Sunday: 7 am-7 pm

Books are Difficult to Display: Libor Fára (1925-1988)
November 6, 2014 – January 17, 2015

Photogallery

An open cycle of exhibitions called Knihy se těžko vystavují (Books are Difficult to Display) highlights the work of leading designers and typographers mainly of the period after World War II.  The project is organised by the Elpida Society and the Archive of Fine Arts that provided most of the exhibits. This exposition is dedicated to Libor Fára, a painter, sculptor, stage designer etc. An important part of his work is represented by book design, characteristic of significant but simply functional typography, an extraordinary feeling for  photography and reproduction, economically minimalist work with colours, and geometry The display features not only Fára´s book design but also several of his exceptional posters.

Exhibition corridor, ground floor, Monday to Saturday:  9 am – 7 pm

Nativity Scenes at the Klementinum

November 28, 2014 – January 1, 2015

Opening ceremony - Photogallery

The exhibition features the best of the collection of the Museum betlémů v Karlštejně (Nativity Scene Museum at Karlštejn). Exhibits include historical wooden hand carved Nativity scenes from the baroque period up to the end of World War II as well as Nativity sets made of less typical materials, such as sugar, glass, gingerbread etc. Visitors can also attend weekend creative workshops, where they can make candles of beeswax and decorate Christmas glass decorations.

The Klementinum Gallery – Exhibition Hall (entrance from the Mariánské Square, Gate B2)
Daily: 9 am – 6 pm
Special entrance fee: adults 50 Kč, senior citizens and students 30 Kč; group of 10 + persons 30 Kč/person; children 6-15 years 20 Kč, children under 6 years free; school teacher free with a group of students.