Reflections of the Hellenic Sun

“Reflections of the Hellenic Sun” will illuminate the HYB4 Gallery on the Hybernská Kampus through the casts of classical sculptures. Since the Renaissance, plaster copies of ancient works of art were highly estimated collectables and at the same time reflected a deeper and more general interest in classical culture. The grand opening is to be held on 10 October at 6 pm.

By means of the Cast Collection of Ancient Sculpture of the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, the exhibition presents not only the phenomenon of copying but also the changing position of ancient heritage in the Czech culture of the 18th–20th centuries. The chronological approach along the history of the Collection allows presenting the casts from three different angles: as collectables, as a study aid and source of artistic inspiration and as the subject of scientific research.

The first part of the exhibition puts the collecting of antiquities in the Bohemian Lands into the European and historical context. The travels of Czech aristocrats to the Mediterranean and their fascination with classical antiquity are illustrated specifically by items borrowed from the collections of the National Heritage Institute; especially, the newly restored large canvases of the famous classicist painter Franz Caucig inspired by ancient history.

The next part is dedicated to the role the copies played for the Academy of Fine Arts. The exhibits are added with historical drawings after the casts, which have been preserved in the archive of the Academy.

The last part presents the casts as a subject of scientific interest. Apart from being used as a tool in the unique reconstructions of the original appearance of ancient statues by Prof. W. Klein, we will remind, for example, of the colouring of ancient art.

The exhibition will be held from 10 October to 3 November 2022 in the HYB4 Gallery on the Hybernská Campus. The accompanying programme will feature a workshop, where visitors may try to draw after ancient models.