Figura contemplativa: The Human Body in Art from Antiquity to the Present in the Patrik Šimon Collection

• EXHIBITION: Figura contemplativa: The Human Body in Art from Antiquity to the Present in the Patrik Šimon Collection
• VENUE: Archdiocesan Museum of Kroměříž / Archbishop’s Palace, Kroměříž
• DATES: June 11, 2026 – September 6, 2026
• OPENING RECEPTION: June 11, 2026, at 5:00 PM
• VERNISÁŽ: 11 06 2026 v 17:00
• AUTHORS: Miroslav Kindl, Patrik Šimon
• CURATOR: Miroslav Kindl
• GRAPHIC DESIGN: Petr Šmalec
• INSTALLATION: Vlastimil Sedláček, Filip Šindelář, Ondřej Žák
• PHOTOGRAPHY: Markéta Lehečková, Zdeněk Sodoma

The human figure is one of the oldest and most enduring themes in the visual arts. From prehistoric engravings and paintings to contemporary art projects, humans continually return to their own image: observing it, stylizing it, idealizing it, but also questioning it. The new exhibition Figura contemplativa, which the Olomouc Museum of Art is opening on Thursday at the Kroměříž Castle, traces the evolution of depictions of the human body from antiquity to the present day through works of art from Patrik Šimon’s collection.

“Changes in the depiction of the human figure also reflect deeper shifts in European thought. In some periods, the figure was understood primarily as an expression of order, harmony, and the ideal; at other times, it became the bearer of a religious message or moral lesson. In the modern era, the concept of the human being as a unique individual with their own inner world gained prominence,” says curator Miroslav Kindl. “The history of figurative representation is thus also the history of the transformation of the human image in European culture. It is a journey from symbolic and conventional depictions to a deeper interest in reality, from the ideal to individuality, and from a unified conception of the body to its multiplicity in modern and contemporary art.”

The exhibition also includes a digital audio guide available in 12 languages. With it, visitors can choose between the curator’s selection or a specially designed children’s tour. The audio guide can be downloaded via the Cabinet of Wonders app, allowing visitors to try out the digital guide before touring the exhibition.

Patrik Šimon (b. 1973) studied art history at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague. He specializes in 19th- and 20th-century European visual art. He is a curator, collector, and author or co-author of some twenty scholarly publications. His private collection includes over twenty thousand paintings, drawings, prints, and sculptures.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)