Why do I die and how do you work? In Tnec, they saved the estate and turned it into a gallery with a unique collection

TOenter, give up hope of understanding,” wrote the Brno publisher Arno Ska in 1926 in the catalog for Josef Vchal’s first independent exhibition, and he didn’t make much of a mistake. Even when the construction was finished, the outsiders simply could not fully understand the world of such a unique creator.

Although Josef Vchal came from Art Nouveau and drew from symbolism, he was attracted by mysticism, spiritualism, occultism, wild sales, legends and stories, mystery, the past, vra, Bh i bel. He went through topics, forms and genres freely, he didn’t let himself be swayed by trends and demand, he didn’t accept compromises. “It is absolutely certain that Vchal will not make it in his lifetime, especially in this generation. It’s more out of the limelight, it’s more out of everyday life and it’s more comprehensive and deep,” Arno Ska dared to say. But he had no doubt that the creation of this absolute solitaire would one day be “deadly.”

She did. The first wave of discoveries arose at the end of the 60s. At that time, the national museum bought a number of works from the artist, who had often starved, and five days before his death the communist government even awarded him the title of distinguished artist. But then the water turned on again. And in the spring of 1993, the Pasek publishing house was able to invite the public to the Portmone in Litomysl – the museum of Josef Vchal. Later, there were two widespread constructions in the Rudolfinum and in the Krumlov-based Egon Schiele Art Center, but then in a number of other cities. And meanwhile, the last Vchalov exhibition of pivt nvtvnky is now in the Tnec castle in Klatovska, which will open to the public after a long reconstruction.

The unique collection of Vchalov’s works, which was systematically built up over the years by the owner of the manor, Jan Pelnek Lazarowitz, will be gradually exhibited in the baroque halls. The core of his collection consists of drawings and graphics, including Vchal’s masterpiece – a complete collection of deathly and romantic paintings, poetic devoryts, author’s books, and well-known watercolors and oils, including the five-meter-long painting Scattered by Lovers. “It’s probably the most extensive private collection of Vchalov’s works that exists,” said gallerist Hana Jirmusov Lazarowitz to HN, who is preparing an art exhibition with her husband and will thus help him reconstruct the mansion.

The obstinacy that went into the repair of the baroque ruin, which was missing not only windows but also ceilings, twenty years ago Jan Pelnek let loose, a philosophy of life comparable to Vchalová’s. GiovanniBattista Alliprandi for Maxmilin N. Kolowrat-Krakowskho and they entertained him together with the late owner, architect Jaroslav Polvka, many artists, simply saved. And nice in the gallery. He did not compromise on this plan, even when the early reconstruction swallowed all the family finances and a lot of time and energy. In 2014, Manel Lazarowitz managed to get the building designated as a National Cultural Monument, they gradually reached the end of a subsidy from the Ministry of Culture and eventually won 110 million crowns from the European IROP program. “When they brought and installed all the windows two years ago, there were two hundred of them in total, I realized that we can only do it until the end. That dm oil, expired,” said Hana Jirmusov Lazarowitz.

Repro: Josef Vchal: umava umrajc a romantick, Demoni slat, 1931

VTnci wants you to drive right, restore the park, repair the farm building, but its owner invites you to the interior. Exhibit them not only from your private collection, but they will also provide a short-term installation of contemporary works of art. “However, the paintings of Tom Csaovskho, Alena Anderlov and Jiho Survka are permanently present here, always decorating the ceilings of rooms that were recently covered by the sky,” laughs Hana Jirmusov Lazarowitz. And the darkness of modern ceiling paintings? There was no light at all: the sky. And so you just put your head back.

By the way, when the Brno-based bibliophile publisher Arno Ska hoped that Vchal’s work would one day “rise from the dead”, he certainly would not have dreamed that the Tnec castle would open its doors on Easter. Mortuary to the second, actually to the aunt.

Zmek Tnec

From 29.3. to 28. 4. there will be trial tours of the complex on weekends, from 1.5.

Repro: Josef Vchal: Portrait (self-portrait), devoryt, 1934