Czech collaboration with Louvre exhibits famed Mannerist classics in Prague

In collaboration with the Louvre Museum in Paris, the National Gallery Prague (NGP) will present an exhibition in the Czech capital showcasing the best-known Mannerist works from the 16th century. It opens today and runs until Aug. 11 at the Waldstein Riding School in Malá Strana.

Exhibition director Alena Volrábová says this unique project will feature over 200 works, including graphics, drawings, paintings, and artistic crafts. These works come from major art centers of the Mannerist period, such as Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Bohemia, and France.

According to Volrábová, the exhibition will showcase the evolution and experimentation of the Mannerist style, its influence on other art forms, and its role in the exchange of artistic ideas between Italy and other European countries.

The Louvre has also loaned about 50 works that were donated by art collector Edmond de Rothschild. These works include graphic reproductions by renowned artists such as Raphael, Jan Brueghel the Elder, Hans von Aachen, and Bartholomew Spranger. 

NGP general director Alicja Knastová earlier expressed her excitement about offering visitors the opportunity to see a drawing by Michelangelo Buonarroti, as none of his works have been exhibited in the Czech Republic before. The drawing, entitled "The Resurrection of Christ," is a standout piece, according to Knastová.

The exhibition will also include loans from other institutions, such as the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the Viennese Albertina, and the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

Mannerism emerged in Italy as a refined and imaginative style that favored symbolism and hidden meanings. It quickly gained international recognition and became an influential artistic movement. "It was a relatively new medium at the time and allowed for the widespread dissemination of key works by artists such as Giulio Romano,” said exhibition curator Alena Volrábová.

This exhibition is the first of two projects the NGP has been preparing in collaboration with the Louvre Museum for several years. The second project will focus on art related to the period of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II.

A catalog in Czech will accompany the exhibition, which will later be published in English. Adult tickets cost CZK 270, whereas discounted tickets are priced at CZK 170.