Uncovering Art and Culture: The First Czechoslovak Republic Exhibition at National Gallery Prague (1918–1938)

This exhibition explores the rich and cosmopolitan art scene in the young independent Czechoslovakia between 1918 and 1938, drawing from the National Gallery Prague's collections and private loans. It highlights not only visual artworks but also other cultural forms like book illustrations and design, showcasing the diversity and lively cultural scene of the period.

Created on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of Czechoslovakia's founding, this exhibition delves into the extensive and cosmopolitan art scene of the young independent state from 1918 to 1938. Drawing upon the National Gallery Prague's collections and supplemented by loans from various institutions and private collections, it offers a comprehensive overview of the period's artistic activities. The exhibition features paintings by prominent Czech, Slovak, Czech-German, and Carpathian-Russian artists such as Václav Špála, Josef Čapek, Jindřich Štyrský, and Toyen, alongside artworks from the National Gallery’s French collection, including pieces by Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin, Henri Rousseau, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent van Gogh. The exhibition adopts an interdisciplinary approach, presenting not only visual arts but also other significant cultural forms that thrived during the First Republic, such as book illustrations, design, and graphic design. Through art topography, it illustrates the wide array of artistic production and the dynamic cultural landscape of the era. The exhibition frames the art of the first republic through the perspective of an artgoer from the 1920s and 1930s, introducing key galleries, art clubs, and institutions, alongside important cultural centres within the young state. While focusing primarily on Prague as a hub of exhibition activity for both local and progressive European artists, the exhibition also acknowledges other significant cultural centres like Brno, Zlín, Bratislava, Košice, and Uzhgorod. The curators have partially reconstructed notable exhibitions from this period, including the Tvrdošíjní group exhibition, the Exhibition of Contemporary Culture in Brno, Poesie 32, and the First Exhibition of Surrealists in Czechoslovakia. This presentation emphasizes the cosmopolitan and multinational character of the period, aiming to accurately depict the wealth and diversity of the young state's culture and to inspire contemporary understanding, counteracting xenophobic attitudes often born from a lack of historical knowledge. The permanent exhibition is supported by an extensive educational program and opened in commemoration of significant Czech historical events in 2018.

Tickets are available for purchase and are also valid for all collection exhibitions at the Trade Fair Palace. The exhibition opened on the occasion of events marked by the year 2018.