Paitings

The sub-collection of paintings has three more or less separate parts – the collection of old art, the 19th century collection and the 20th and 21st centuries collection. Before 1990 the sub-collection had only one curator. After 1990 the curator for 20th century art was hired, and later a curator for the old art and more recently for the art of the 19th century. Since 1997, Gabriela Elbelová has been the curator of the collection of Dutch and Italian painting. Since 2003, Martina Potůčková has been the curator of the collection of Central European painting. Since 2011 she has also been the curator of the 19th century painting collection. This set of over 200 paintings is being researched scientifically at present.

The present collection of old painting in the Olomouc Museum of Art originates from three sources. The most important and numerous complex with the longest historical continuity is the collection of the Olomouc Archbishopric, the major part of which is administered by the Olomouc Museum of Art through the Archdiocesan Museum in Olomouc and in Kroměříž. The beginnings and the climax of the collection originated in the episcopacy of Karl II von Liechtenstein-Kastelkorn (1624/1664 – 1695). The basis of the collection was created from parts of the collections of the executed King Charles I of England and Thomas Howard of Arundel, purchased from the Imstenraed brothers, art dealers from Cologne, in 1673. Besides those, he acquired some smaller collections and made individual acquisitions through art agents and directly from the period artists. The greatest treasure of the collection is Tizians canvas Apollo and Marsyas, one of the masters late works. New impulses in expanding the episcopal collection were the acquisitions of Archbishop Friedrich von Fürstenberg (1813/1853–1892), Theodor Kohn (1845/1893–1904/1915) and Leopold Prečan (1866–/1923–1947).

The collection of old art of the Olomouc Museum of Art consists of over 30 Italian paintings from the 14th to the 18th century and Dutch paintings from the 16th to the 18th century and almost 90 paintings from Central Europe from the 16th to the 18th century, with its origin in several Olomouc collections of art. This basis was part of the art collection of the Regional Museum in Olomouc, the collection of the Patriotic Museum Association in Olomouc and the Gallery of Art of the City of Olomouc, confiscated church property and unidentifiable post-war confiscated property. Between 1952 and 1989, several new works were acquired for the collection of old art, since 1990 the systematic acquisition strategy of the Olomouc Museum of Art enabled important acquisitions that enriched the collection significantly (Mathäus Gundelach, Pier Francesco Mola, Pietro della Vecchia etc.).

The present collection of old painting in the Olomouc Museum of Art originates from three sources. The most important and numerous complex with the longest historical continuity is the collection of the Olomouc Archbishopric, the major part of which is administered by the Olomouc Museum of Art through the Archdiocesan Museum in Olomouc and in Kroměříž. The beginnings and the climax of the collection originated in the episcopacy of Karl II von Liechtenstein-Kastelkorn (1624/1664 – 1695). The basis of the collection was created from parts of the collections of the executed King Charles I of England and Thomas Howard of Arundel, purchased from the Imstenraed brothers, art dealers from Cologne, in 1673. Besides those, he acquired some smaller collections and made individual acquisitions through art agents and directly from the period artists. The greatest treasure of the collection is Tizians canvas Apollo and Marsyas, one of the masters late works. New impulses in expanding the episcopal collection were the acquisitions of Archbishop Friedrich von Fürstenberg (1813/1853–1892), Theodor Kohn (1845/1893–1904/1915) and Leopold Prečan (1866–/1923–1947).

The collection of old art of the Olomouc Museum of Art consists of over 30 Italian paintings from the 14th to the 18th century and Dutch paintings from the 16th to the 18th century and almost 90 paintings from Central Europe from the 16th to the 18th century, with its origin in several Olomouc collections of art. This basis was part of the art collection of the Regional Museum in Olomouc, the collection of the Patriotic Museum Association in Olomouc and the Gallery of Art of the City of Olomouc, confiscated church property and unidentifiable post-war confiscated property. Between 1952 and 1989, several new works were acquired for the collection of old art, since 1990 the systematic acquisition strategy of the Olomouc Museum of Art enabled important acquisitions that enriched the collection significantly (Mathäus Gundelach, Pier Francesco Mola, Pietro della Vecchia etc.).

Toyen (Marie Čermínová), The Flora of the Sleep, 1931

Bohumil Kubišta, Portrait of Jan Zrzavý, 1912

Joos van Cleve – workshop circle, The Virgin and Child, (1st third of the 16th century)

Václav Radimský, On the Pond, 1903–1904

Toyen (Marie Čermínová), The Flora of the Sleep, 1931

Bohumil Kubišta, Portrait of Jan Zrzavý, 1912

Joos van Cleve – workshop circle, The Virgin and Child, (1st third of the 16th century)

Václav Radimský, On the Pond, 1903–1904

The third part of the collection, developing and complementing the two other parts of the collection, is a private collection in the Olomouc Museum of Art, the main focus of which is Dutch Baroque painting. In the set of paintings from the 20th and 21st century over 2,500 exhibits are administered. From 1990 to 2013 the museum acquired over 600 paintings or works classified in this category. Since 1990 Ladislav Daněk has been the curator (preceded by Jaromír Lakosil, Zdeněk Pospíšil and Michal Soukup). The qualitative foundation of the collection of classic modernism, avant garde and modern landscape painting was laid by 1990. Before 1990 a rather compact collection of Skupina 42 group was created. The acquisition strategy since 1990 has been to concentrate on the period between 1945 and 1989. This period has been preferred in the last decade in connection with the founding of the Central European Forum Olomouc (2006) and with the intention of integrating Czech post-war art into the Central European context. Works by pivotal Czech representatives of the period tendencies were gradually acquired as well as exceptional solitaires and works by authors who worked in exile. The acquisitions also focused on artists in the collection of outsider art (art brut) which, as a whole, is the largest and the best collection of its kind in Czech institutions. An essential and unique feat in the Czech gallery and museum environment, was the acquisition of works by prominent representatives of the Central European artistic scene (Slovakia: R. Fila, A. Mlynárčik, M. Dobeš, M. Urbásek, J. Želibská, D. Tóth, O. Laubert, J. Meliš, I. Minárik, K. Bočkayová, M. Bočkay, L. Teren. Hungary: I. Nádler, I. Bak, D. Maurer, E. Tot, S. Pinczehelyi, L. Fehér. Poland: T. Kantor, A. Lenica, J. Mikulski, H. Stażewski, R. Winiarski, J. Kraupe-Swiderska, J. R. Zielinski, W. Pawlak). At present, a selection of the best is being presented through a new permanent exhibition entitled Století relativity. Výtvarné umění 1900–2000 ze sbírek Muzea umění Olomouc. / A Century of Relativity. Fine Arts between 1900 and 2000 from the Collection of the Olomouc Museum of Art.