Prague, Feb 6 (CTK) – The Slav Epic cycle of 23 paintings depicting the history of ancient Slavs by Art Nouveau artist Alfons Mucha will be displayed in Japan in the first three months of 2017 and move to China by mid-2017, Eliska Kaplicky Fuchsova, head of the Prague City Hall culture committee, has told CTK.
The Slav Epic will stay in China until May 2018, Eliska Kaplicky Fuchsova said.
From China, the paintings may be sent to South Korea and the USA where they may be installed at exhibitions, Kaplicky Fuchsova said, adding that it was not year clear when the artefacts will return to the Czech Republic.
The contracts for the exhibitions in Japan and China were also concluded,
The work by Mucha (1860-1939) will be put on display in the National Center of Arts in Tokyo between March 7 and June 5, 2017.
Then the paintings will be sent via Shanghai to Nanjing, where they will be installed between mid-July and January 2018.
The tour of China will be closed by the exhibition in Guangzhou, scheduled for January-May of the same year, Kaplicky Fuchsova said.
This may be followed by exhibitions in South Korea and Chicago.
“However, specific contracts have not yet been concluded,” she added.
The cycle of Mucha’s paintings moved to Prague from a chateau in Moravsky Krumlov, south Moravia, where it was on display for decades, in 2012. The transport stirred up protests of the Moravsky Krumlov Town Hall, the South Moravia Regional Office as well as Alfons Mucha’s grandson John Mucha and thousands of other people.
Prague considers the cycle its property since Mucha gave it to the capital on condition it builds a new pavilion for it. However, the Mucha family claims that the donation is not legally effective since Prague has not met this condition.
It is not yet known where the artefacts will return after their Asian tour.
Prague Mayor Adriana Krnacova has said a new exhibition room for the Slav Epic may be established in cooperation with the National Gallery.
