Personalities

Prof. PhDr. Mojmir Horyna, CSc.

(*1945) is the Czech historian of art.

He studied history of art in the Faculty of Philosophy of the Charles University in Prague and also in Styrsky Hradec. He is concerned especially about the art of baroque and the 19^th century, the architectural development of Prague and conservation of cultural monuments. He worked in National Gallery in the years 1969-1970, spent the following year in the Centre of Care of Historical Monuments in Pardubice and worked in the atelier of building and historical research of the State Institute for Reconstruction of Monumental Towns and Buildings in Prague since 1972. In 1988 he came back to National Gallery for two years and has been giving lessons in the History of Art Institute of the Faculty of Philosophy of the Charles University since 1990. He has been leading this institute presently. He became professor of history of art in the year 2000 and has been vice-rector of the Charles University since the year 2006.

Mojmir Horyna publishes in the professional journals and magazines frequently, is the co-author of several important collected books and participated in several exhibitions concerning the art of the Czech baroque. Prof. Horyna is regarded as the best expert in the work of J. B. Santini-Aichel. He was a chairman of the Research Council for national care of historical monuments - the top advisory body of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic - by the year 2006.

On the occasion of the sixtieth birthday of Horyna, a bust by Oldrich Karban was unveiled in Marianska Tynice in the year 2005, as an expression of the gratitude to the mastermind of reconstruction of this monument.

Publications

• Baroque architecture. Prague at daybreak of the new history, Prague 1988, co-author
• Castle Horovice, Prague 1996
• Parlament of the Czech Republic, Prague 1996, co-author
• Mnichovo Hradiste, Prague 1996, co-author
• Renovation, preservation and reconstruction of monuments, Prague 1997, co-author
• Jan Blazej Santini-Aichel, Prague 1998
• Dientzenhofers, Prague 1998
• Memento mori, Prague 1998, co-author
• Santini. Buildings of Jan Blazej Santini in the Zdar region, Zdar nad Sazavou 1999
• Tuscan Palace in Prague, Prague 1999, co-author
• Cerninsky Palace in Prague, Prague 2001
• Valdstejnsky Palace in Prague, Prague 2002, co-author

External Links

• Interview with Mister Professor Horyna

List of Works

In the database of the National Library of the Czech Republic, where the author or the topic is
Mojmír Horyna
Extracted from "http://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojm%C3%ADr-Horyna"

Prof.PHDr. Jan Sedlak CSc.

Born on the 24^th June 1943 in Brno.

• 1949 - 1957 Eight-year elementary school in Kralovo Pole
• 1957 - 1961 Handcraft school in Brno, Interior applied paintwork department, graduation
• 1964 - 1969 Institute of History of Art of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of J. E. Purkyne in Brno, thesis and dissertation work On the Points at Issue of the Parler's Influence on the Moravian Architecture
• 1968 - 1986 Subject specialist of the Regional Centre of Care of Historical Monuments and Nature Protection in Brno, the head of various departments in Brno since 1974
• 1987 - 2000 Faculty of Architecture of Technical University in Brno, the following lectures:
  • History of the plastic arts, art and sculpture since the earliest ages till the present time,
  • History of architecture of the renaissance and the baroque,
  • Modern architecture in the historical environment,
  • Contemporary trends of the world's architecture.
• Director of studies of four students of the doctoral study programme (two of them have been already doctored in the science - Ph.D.)
• 1989 Candidate of technical science (CSc.),
• 1992 Second doctorate (docent), habilitating work: Chapters from History of Architecture in Moravia,
• 1998 Nominating procedure (professor)
• Since 1. 12. 2000 the dean of the Faculty of the Plastic Arts, Art and Sculpture of the Technical University in Brno
• Member of the Scientific Council of the Technical University in Brno,
  University of Tomáš Baťa in Zlín,
  Faculty of Architecture of the Technical University in Brno,
  Faculty of Philosophy and Pedagogy of the Masaryk University in Brno.
• Chairman of the Advisory Board for reconstruction of the villa Tugendhat, of the Council of the Corporate town Brno, member of the Advisory Board for cultural politics of the Council of the Corporate town Brno, member of the Arts and Historical Society in the Czech lands, of the Union of Creative Artists of the Czech Republic, of the Body of Architects, of the Bloc of Architects and Creative Artists, of the Association Q etc. He is the winner of the Prize of the town Brno for the year 1996 for the publication Brno in the Secession Period, awarded by the Board of Representatives of the town Brno in field of Architecture and Town-Planning.

My professional and academic interest has focused mainly on the history of architecture already during my university studies. Mainly the architecture in Brno and Moravia, especially during the Gothic period, baroque, secession and functionalism has been concerned. I have published the issues in the plastic arts, art and sculpture only occasionally, in particular in the monographs about Paul Gaugin (1977), Henrim de Toulouse-Lautrec (1985) and in the publication about secession in Brno (1995). As regards the Gothic architecture in Moravia, I have been mostly concerned with the Luxembourg period, lastly in the digest Architecture in Moravia and Silesia during under rule of the Luxembourg margraves (2000). My interest in the baroque architecture has culminated in the book Jan Blazej Santini, Meeting of the baroque with the Gothic (1987). Consequently, I tried to solve the questions of the current significance of the artist's heritage, for example in the essays Santini and Plecnik - Tradition and Invention (1999) and Jan Blazej Santini-Aichel - Creator and Visionarist, his significance for understanding the contemporary architecture (2002). I published the first digest of the secession architecture in Brno in the year 1973, at the moment I am preparing an exquisite book Brno Of The Secession With a Comprehensive View Of The Artistic Events In The Moravian Metropolis During The Years 1895 - 1914. An important part of the list of my works consists of syllabi, essays, reviews and papers concerning the modern architecture from the twenties to the forties in Moravia, especially in Brno and Zlin, with a view to the leading figures of Bohuslav Fuchs, Jiri Kroha, Vladimir Karfik, etc. From a number of tens of items regarding this subject matter, I mention for example Work of Bohuslav Fuchs In The Light Of The Subject Literature (1995) and Phenomenon Of The Zlin Architecture (1995). Since 1997, I have been working on the book The Functionalism of Brno. As a historian of art with a long-time work experience in field of care of historical monuments, I have also published several contributions to this issue (History of Care of Historical Monuments in the Region of South Moravia 1948 - 1989, 2002). My bibliography amounts to 357 works in full, 100 of which have a selective form.

Doc. JUDr. et PhDr. Dobroslav Libal, DrSc.

(*15. 10. 1911, 9. 2. 2002)

Long-time member of the Club For the Old Prague and its Domiciliary Council, president of the Czech National Committee ICOMOS, member of many academic advisory boards, laureate of high honour of the Czech Technical University as well as the international benefactions, honorary freeman of Kutna Hora, Prague, Senohrab and Stribro suddenly died on the 9^th February 2002 in the middle of the creative work.

His blessed age, sound health, indomitable energy and organizational abilities together with the stable family base enabled him to leave behind the work that will always command respect. Only the bibliography of his works, published in the anthology brought out in his honour on the occasion of his 90^th birthday, contains the unbelievable 16 thick-printed pages.

The student of the professor Cibulka in the Faculty of Philosophy of the Charles University was predetermined by his teacher to become a university pedagogue. Though, the adversity (World War II, the communist plot in 1948) disabled this congenital educator from effect this life role. As lately as in his late age, he was invited to profess in the Faculty of Philosophy of the Charles University and the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University.

He loved music and imaginative literature. I have never been able to understand where he found the time to obtain so exceptional knowledge of the imaginative literature. His knowledge of sea fights became subject of numerous legends among his friends. The stories from the military history that he often wrote together with his friend Dr. Frankenberger were of professional level.

It was a pleasure to listen to his commentary of the battles near Hradec Kralove, Slavkov, Brudek or the fights of the Czech troops and commanders near Vienna or commanded by Radecky later on, in the field during the excursions of SURPMO. However, he also liked to give the opportunity to the younger fellows to show off in order to give support to their interest in the military history.

Nevertheless, the foundation stone of his work is the innovative methodology of building-historical researches. The Prague's chief magistrate, architect Jan Kasl wrote in the above mentioned anthology: "Already in the year 1951, he became to deal with the building-historical research of Ungelt. He is the author of the nowadays already classical methodology for the research teamwork of specialists that served as a basis of creation of the so-called "Prague passportization". The file of passports was created under command of Dobroslav Libal cannot be compared to any other system in the world and is a significant documentary monument in itself. The detailed documentation of each building within the Prague's listed preserve allows decide expertly on the method of the building's reconstruction and the possibilities of further utilization today. I hope it is a sufficient guarantee of preserving all the beautiful Prague has become famous for, not only on the present but also in the future."

He was successively improving this method during 40 years. He was choosing young co-operators very carefully and systematically since the year 1951. They rose to become reputable experts in field of care of historical monuments and history of architecture step by step.

The names Milada Vilimkova, Lubos Lancinger, Martin Ebel, Pavel Zahradnik, Jan Muk and his wife Jirina, Mojmir Horyna, Josef Hyzler, Frantisek Kasicka, Petr Pacek, Jaroslav Vajdis are authorities now. He closely cooperated with the architects and town-planners Prof. Fuchs, Dr. Lorenc, Miroslav Bas, Josef Nemec and many others, too, with the structural designers Jan Vinar and Karel Fantys and others. Wide connection of his co-operators and opponents within the world of science, art and architecture, is remarkable. For the whole forty years he cooperated with the phenomenal and so far underestimated photographer of architecture Vladimir Uher in the studio.

In the time when the research workers often closed up into the individualistic groups, he was always ready to express his opinion of any working issue. He supported the publication efforts of his younger co-operators. He struggled in the inter-professional co-operation and he kept the teamwork alive for many years when he lead the studio of 30 - 40 employees.

He issued from his knowledge and personal contacts with the older generation of historians of art who founded the modern systematic research of architectural work during research works in Anezsky klaster (Agnes's monastery), Karolinum (Carolinum), Betlemska kaple (Bethlehem Chapel), Prague's Castle.

Such projects as the Artistic Relics of Prague by CSAV or the big monographs like the J. B. Santini by Horyna could not have developed without the knowledge of the "foundation stone" of development of Prague as well as other towns, monasteries, churches and castles in Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia, too. Of course, the younger authors have moved on the scientific knowledge and have corrected some errors in point of fact using the new sources. Though, nothing will attack the fundamental significance of this teamwork with the crucial share of work and intellectual inspiration of Dobroslav Libal. Due to his generosity, this typescript work is unfortunately not sufficiently copyrighted. That is why they are plundered (often including by the most critics of his work). Unfortunately, all this belongs to the manners of the time).

In addition to this everyday meticulous work with organizing the activities of the work team of up to thirty members within the research studio SURPMO for 40 years, Dobroslav Libal got an opportunity to summarize the results of his work in the big monographs about Prague, the fortification architecture in Europe, the interpretation book called From The Map Of The UNESCO, as well as the catalogue of the Gothic architecture in the Czech Republic until the Hussite wars (just published) during the last ten years. He died while dictating his last work concerning the Czech rural churches, a fascinating symbol of the life philosophy of the patriarch of the Czech history of art.

From the various activities of Dobroslav Libal, we cannot leave out his modest and dedicated activity within the academic boards and voluntary civil associations. The long-time president of ICOMOS utilized his knowledge of the French in his contacts with the Parisian centre of UNESCO where he was esteemed and reputed. He worked within the Domestic Council of the Club For the Old Prague, as a chairman of the academic board SURPMO, SUPP as well as the Ministry of Culture. The wise words of the senator Jaroslava Mozerova in the gratulatory column in the Anthology in Honour of Dobroslav Libal perhaps express best our relationship to this great person. "Dobroslav Libal is certainly not the only a significant expert and research worker in field of care of historical monuments, but there is no-one else in whom the deep knowledge and experience would integrate with such responsibility and modesty - so precious human qualities that doctor Libal has. If the deep education and erudition join the wisdom, it's "a scarce spice". In addition, Dobroslav Libal is among the rare people who are not only the real experts but who are also able to utilize their knowledge in the beneficial acts. I respect him deeply and like him quite normally and humanly. I render thanks to him for all the people, for our whole country and for the whole world, to the irreplaceable treasure of which he has contributed by his work and wisdom."