Milena Bartlová: Zapomenutý velikán V. V. Štech

Public Lectures on Art Yesterday and Today are dedicated this time to the significant anniversary of UMPRUM, marking 140 years since its founding. The 38th cycle will focus on “Personalities from the History of UMPRUM.” The third lecture on the topic “The Forgotten Giant V. V. Štech” is prepared and will be presented by Prof. Milena Bartlová.

Awareness of V. V. Štech today is limited to memories of his television appearances, where the picturesque neglected septuagenarian reminisces about old Prague. However, Štech was not only one of the key figures in Czech artistic life of the First Republic and the post-war years but also a fundamental and original author of works in the field of art theory. He was born in the same year, 1885, when UMPRUM was established, and in the 1920s he served as a professor here. His influence was extensive, from shaping the idea of the artistic industry to discussing the relationship between abstract art and new realisms, from monument preservation to photography theory. The lecture will illuminate his life and work based on a collective monograph that UMPRUM Press is preparing for publication this fall.
The 38th lecture cycle is organized by Prof. Jindřich Vybíral.