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In the footsteps of Alphonse Mucha: The Municipal House
Alphonse Mucha expressed his interest in participating in the décor as early as 1902 during the Paris visit of Prague Mayor Vladimír Srb. From the onset he stressed that he would carry out the decoration free of charge, except for covering his costs for the designs, paints, preparatory canvasses and scaffolding. In 1909, Mucha was entrusted with the decoration of the Mayor’s Hall, one of the most prestigious spaces in the building. However, since he won the contract without a tender, he met with a wave of hostility from the Czech cultural public.
Practical information
The Mayor’s Hall is situated in a circular bay directly above the main entrance. The ceiling is decorated with a fresco on the theme of Slavic Concord. The composition is made up of figural motifs that form a circle with a view opening to the sky, shaded by the wings of a flying eagle. On the walls, in lunettes, are paintings by Alphonse Mucha on aspirational themes: ‘With fortitude toward freedom, with love toward fidelity’ / ‘Humbled and tormented – thou shalt rise again, homeland unbounded’ / ‘Holy mother of thy son’s nation, take kindly to our love and enthusiasm’. The spandrels depict the personifications of virtues through Czech historical figures (Pugnacity – Jan Žižka, Fidelity – Jan Amos Comenius, Independence – George of Poděbrady, Justice – Jan Hus, etc.)
Alphonse Mucha authored not only the painting decoration of the hall, but also all the arts and crafts details, including the heating radiator grilles, windows, standing lighting and drapes. The hall thus makes for a stylistically unified work of art, which silenced the critics and doubters of Mucha’s abilities upon completion.
The Municipal House stands on a site with a wealth of history. The former King’s Court was once located here, the setting-off point for the coronation processions to Prague Castle. The Municipal House was built between 1905-12 to the design of architects Osvald Polívka and Antonín Balšánek in the Art Nouveau style. The construction and decoration of the Municipal House became a huge artistic enterprise in early 20th century Prague. Leading Czech artists like Max Švabinský, Jan Preisler and Josef Václav Myslbek took part in its decoration.
Contacts
- In the footsteps of Alphonse Mucha: The Municipal House
- náměstí Republiky 5
- Praha 1 – Staré Město
Information source: Prague City Tourism